Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya has won re-election for an eighth consecutive term, securing 53.7 per cent of the vote in results that have sparked violent confrontations between opposition supporters and security forces.
The Constitutional Council announced the official results on Monday, confirming Biya’s victory over his main challenger, former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who garnered 35.2 per cent of the vote.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions in the Central African nation, where at least four people were killed on Sunday during clashes in Douala, the country’s economic capital, according to the region’s governor.
Protesters told AFP that security forces initially deployed tear gas before resorting to live ammunition to disperse crowds of opposition supporters who had taken to the streets.
Tchiroma, who had claimed victory just two days after the 12th October election, has called for demonstrations to contest the official results. According to his own tallies, he won 54.8 per cent of votes against 31.3 per cent for Biya.
“We won this election, and we are calling on our supporters to defend our victory,” Tchiroma declared, though his exact words were not captured in available reports.
Since last week, his supporters have mounted street protests in various parts of the country, insisting their candidate emerged victorious in the polls.
The election result extends Biya’s grip on power, making him the world’s oldest serving head of state. He now faces another seven-year term leading a nation grappling with social upheaval, economic disparity and ongoing separatist violence.
Biya has governed Cameroon since 1982 and is only the second president to lead the country since it gained independence from France in 1960. His predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo, ruled from 1960 to 1982.
Critics have long accused Biya’s administration of manipulating electoral processes and suppressing political opposition. Most political analysts had predicted his victory, describing the electoral system as increasingly compromised.
Throughout his four decades in power, Biya has maintained control through what observers characterise as authoritarian rule, cracking down on both political opponents and armed resistance movements.
The current unrest adds to Cameroon’s existing security challenges, including a separatist insurgency in the country’s Anglophone regions and threats from militant groups along its northern border.
International observers have yet to release comprehensive assessments of the electoral process, though preliminary reports had noted concerns about transparency and access for opposition party agents at polling stations.
The violence in Douala represents the most serious post-election unrest in recent Cameroonian history, raising concerns about stability in a country that serves as a key economic hub in the Central African region.
