After the presidential elections held in Cameroon on Sunday, the question now is whether the world’s oldest President Paul Biya will extend his tenure for seven years. He faces a fragmented opposition that wants to topple Paul Biya’s long-standing rule in Cameroon.
Tabouli Celestin Success, a journalist in the northern city of Maroua, told DW that Sunday’s voting went largely smoothly and without any significant difficulties.
In a rare public appearance at a large rally in Maroua, the capital of Cameroon’s Far North region, a week before the October 12 elections, Biya promised to strengthen regional security, fight youth unemployment and improve the country’s infrastructure.
In Cameroon’s English-speaking north-west and south-west regions, additional troops were deployed to protect the vote following threats to disrupt the election from separatist groups aiming to establish an independent state.
Events in the north of Cameroon
“There were sporadic incidents in the morning in some villages near the Nigerian border,” Success said. He said that due to security reasons, the affected polling stations have been shifted to safer places.
“It was also notable that in the far north – the few polling stations I was able to visit – only three parties had representatives present: the ruling party Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC), and Bello Bouba Magari’s National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP),” Success said.
“Other parties participating in the elections were not represented at polling stations in Maroua,” he said.
Nearly 8 million citizens, including more than 34,000 overseas voters, were eligible to vote at more than 31,000 polling stations. Based on 2023 UN data, Cameroon is home to more than 29 million people, 13.7 million of whom are under the age of 18.
Youth mobilized to ensure fairness
Cameroonian governance and elections analyst Violette Fokam pointed to a “significant increase” in the number of people registered.
“We have created a lot of awareness so that people register to vote,” he told DW.
According to Michel Ndoki, a renowned lawyer and committed civil society representative, Cameroonian civil society mobilized independently in advance of the election to ensure that voters’ ballots remained unchanged and respected.
“Particularly noteworthy is the voluntary commitment of many young people who have developed digital solutions to transparently document and make accessible the election information collected on the site.”
Cameroonians want change
Although the results are expected within the next 15 days and there is no voter survey, analysts have predicted a victory for incumbent Paul Biya.
If elected, the 92-year-old will be 99 at the end of his term.
Biya came to power in 1982 following the resignation of Cameroon’s first President Ahmadou Ahidjo and has ruled the country since. He has been declared the winner in seven consecutive elections.
Cameroon’s best-known opposition candidate, Maurice Kamto, was previously barred from the election by the commission following an announcement in July that his party had violated nomination rules.
Critics condemned the decision as politically motivated and said it was a blow to hopes of free, fair and transparent elections.
Biya’s main rivals are former Tourism Minister Bello Bouba Magari and former Employment Minister Issa Tchiroma Bekri.
“This election comes at a time when the entire country aspires to change,” Tachiroma said after voting in his hometown of Garoua in the northern region.
Tchiroma urged voters to remain vigilant and ensure that the results announced by the Constitutional Council reflect the results at the ballot boxes. In a sign of rising tensions around the election, a Reuters journalist witnessed security forces fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of Tachiroma’s supporters who tried to gather around his residence in Garoua after the area was cordoned off.
Bia’s hope of victory
“Paul Biya is likely to win,” said Marie Flore Maboussi, a member of Maurice Kamto’s Cameroon Renaissance Movement, who supports opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bekri.
“Mr. Biya currently controls the electoral system,” Mabousi said. “The Constitutional Council, which is responsible for announcing the results, has eight members, all of whom are appointed by members of the ruling parties and their chairmen.”
According to Maboussi, Biya would win only “because the Constitutional Council, committed to his cause, would declare him the winner.”
However, she insists that the opposition’s victory would be good.
“The opposition has worked hard during this election and rallied its supporters,” Mabousi said.
“Nobody has garnered more supporters than Issa Tchiroma Bekri and Cabral Libby. So it is fair that, in view of all this, the opposition deserves to win this election. But as we know what is happening, as we know the RDPC’s hold on the electoral system, we cannot say that the most likely outcome will be a victory for the opposition.”
In about two weeks, Cameroonians will find out whether Biya’s 43-year rule will end – or whether he will enter an eighth term. After this the results will be announced by the Constitutional Council of the country.
Edited by: Keith Walker