Cameroon court rejects Maurice Kamto’s bid to join presidential race
Kamto, the leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), filed a petition in late July asking the Constitutional Council to reverse a decision by the country's election commission that blocked him from running in the upcoming presidential election.
Cameroon's Constitutional Council has dismissed an appeal by opposition leader Maurice Kamto seeking to be added to the list of candidates for the country's upcoming presidential elections.
Kamto, a former cabinet minister and prominent critic of President Paul Biya, had challenged the electoral commission's earlier decision to exclude him from the October 12 polls.
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Kamto, the leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), filed a petition in late July asking the Constitutional Council to reverse a decision by the country's election commission that blocked him from running in the upcoming presidential election.
Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the country's electoral body, approved only 13 out of 83 applications, leaving out Kamto, who was the runner-up in the closely contested 2018 presidential race.
Kamto finished second in the said elections with 14 per cent of the vote while Biya, 92, was declared the winner with more than 70 per cent. Unfortunately, the polls were criticised for irregularities and low voter participation.
His exclusion was linked to internal disputes in the Manidem party, which he joined after his party, the MRC, was ruled ineligible to present a candidate because it had no seats in Parliament or local councils.
Although Manidem's main leadership backed Kamto, a rival faction within the same party reportedly submitted a different candidate, forcing ELECAM to reject both.
With the Constitutional Council upholding ELECAM's decision on Tuesday, it removes what many saw as the most formidable challenge to Biya, who has held power for over four decades.
The ruling has likewise sparked concerns of political unrest and reinforced expectations of another Biya victory.
According to AP News, security was heightened in the capital, Yaoundé, on Tuesday with forces stationed around the conference centre where the verdict was delivered, as well as along key roads.
Similarly, on Monday, police used tear gas to disperse pro-Kamto demonstrators and detained dozens during protests held ahead of the court's announcement.
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