Cameroon’s Paul Biya declared presidential winner in tense election, extends 42-year rule
Paul Biya’s eighth election win at age 92 extends one of Africa’s longest presidencies, fuelling outrage from opponents who accuse him of clinging to power through manipulation and fear.
Cameroon’s Constitutional Council on Monday declared President Paul Biya the winner of the October 12 election, securing the 92-year-old leader an eighth term that will extend his more than four-decade rule until 2032.
Biya, the world’s oldest sitting president, garnered 53.66 per cent of the vote, defeating his main challenger and former ally Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who received 35.19 per cent, according to official results.
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“Hereby declared elected President of the Republic, having obtained the majority of the votes cast, the candidate, Biya, Paul,” announced Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council.
The ruling ends weeks of political tension but is likely to deepen divisions in a country already on edge over allegations of vote-rigging.
In the days leading up to the announcement, protests erupted in several cities, including Douala and Yaoundé, after Tchiroma rejected preliminary results and declared himself the rightful winner.
His campaign released its own tally claiming he had secured 54.8 per cent of the vote and warned of protests if what he called “manipulated results” were made official.
Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement dismissed the opposition’s claims, urging calm and respect for the constitutional process.
At least four people were killed on Sunday in clashes between opposition supporters and police in Douala. Reports of unrest and arrests also emerged from the northern city of Garoua, Tchiroma’s hometown. Videos shared online showed security forces surrounding his residence, which he said in a Facebook post was an attempt to arrest him.
Biya, who first took power in 1982 and removed presidential term limits in 2008, has long maintained a tight hold on Cameroon’s political landscape, guiding the country through decades marked by economic inequality and growing frustration over governance.
If he completes his new term, Biya will be 100 years old by the time Cameroonians next head to the polls.
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