Cameroon’s longtime leader Paul Biya has secured another presidential victory, extending his decades in power.
Opposition figures reject the outcome, raising concerns about fairness and transparency in the election.
92-year-old Cameroon leader Paul Biya has once again secured victory in the country’s presidential election as announced by the Constitutional Council on Monday. The result confirms that Biya, who has been in power since 1982, will continue to lead the nation for another term, making it his eighth straight tenure as president. At 92 years old, he remains the oldest president currently in office anywhere in the world.
The election outcome has not gone down smoothly with opposition figures. Many political opponents had raised concerns before and after the vote, alleging irregularities in both the conduct of the election and the process used to announce the final tally. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who was one of Biya’s top challengers, strongly disagreed with the official figures. He maintained that he actually won the election and claimed that the announced numbers did not represent what voters wanted.
There have also been widespread arguments from civil society members who believe the process lacked credibility. They argue that the environment surrounding the election was too controlled by those in authority, making it difficult for opposition voices to compete fairly. Despite the backlash, the government has remained firm that the result is valid and reflects the choice of the Cameroonian people. With this development, Biya is set to remain in office until 2032, which will take his leadership close to five decades at the helm of the Central African country.
