Cameroon's Constitutional Council has confirmed the re-election of 92-year-old President Paul Biya for an eighth consecutive term. Biya, the world's oldest head of state and in power for 43 years, secured 53.7% of the vote against main challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary's 35.2%. This result followed pre-declaration tensions and claims of a close race. The re-election occurs amid scrutiny of Biya's governance, including his frequent absences and the country's social and security challenges. Opposition supporters have expressed frustration, with reports of protests and shootings in multiple cities.
Election Outcome and Background
Cameroon's Constitutional Council announced the re-election of President Paul Biya, 92, for an eighth successive term. Biya, the world's oldest head of state, received 53.7% of the vote. His main challenger, former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, secured 35.2%. The declaration on Monday followed rumors of a close contest and claims of victory by Tchiroma Bakary. Biya's decision to seek another seven-year mandate, after 43 years in power, has been a point of contention.
President Biya's Governance
Biya's governance style has raised questions. He has undertaken extended stays abroad, notably in Geneva, Switzerland, leading to speculation about his direct involvement in daily governance. Decisions are sometimes attributed to the prime minister, other ministers, or the influential secretary general of the presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh. Last year, after attending a WWII commemoration in France in August and a China Africa summit in Beijing the following month, the president was not publicly seen for nearly six weeks without official announcement, leading to speculation about his health. Officials later indicated he was in Geneva, reportedly working. He subsequently returned to Yaoundé. This year, he made another visit to Geneva weeks before polling day.
Biya's leadership is characterized by infrequent formal full cabinet meetings and limited public discussions of complex national issues. This approach contributes to a lack of clarity regarding his administration's goals and policy formation. While ministers and officials implement various initiatives, a clear overarching political vision has been limited.
Political Role and Succession
Biya has functioned as a balancing figure in Cameroon, a country marked by significant social, regional, and linguistic diversity. These differences exist between areas like the equatorial south and savannah north, and between French-speaking regions and the English-speaking North-West and South-West, which have distinct educational and institutional traditions. In a state where early post-independence years involved debates on federalism and national unity, Biya's governments have included representatives from various backgrounds. His administrations have also managed national finances, avoiding major debt issues and gradually consolidating them.
Over the past decade, Biya's role has increasingly appeared symbolic, where he addresses some key issues but delegates most policy areas. His continued tenure has facilitated competitive rivalries among senior figures within the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), as the question of succession remains undecided in his presence. There is no designated political heir, and some potential "next generation" CPDM figures are aging. This situation has fueled ongoing speculation about who will succeed him, with his son Franck occasionally being mentioned despite showing limited interest in politics.
National Challenges and Opposition
Cameroon faces numerous development and security challenges, despite its diverse natural resources. Questions have arisen about public tolerance for the current system, which offers multi-party elections but has seen little change in leadership. The crisis in the English-speaking regions, which involves violence, has highlighted the implications of the president's cautious and reserved approach. When protests for reform began there in 2016, Biya's response was delayed. By the time proposals for change and a national dialogue were offered, violence had intensified, reducing opportunities for compromise. Biya has not effectively articulated an economic and social development vision for Cameroon.
In the 2018 election, Biya faced a significant challenge from Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM). Kamto disputed the official results, which awarded him 14% of the vote, and was subsequently detained for over eight months. This election, however, saw challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary shift public sentiment more notably than previous challengers since 1992. In 1992, official results credited John Fru Ndi of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) with 36% of the vote, just behind Biya's 40%.
This time, Biya is seven years older and has maintained a more detached approach. Tchiroma, a Muslim from the north, attracted support across various societal sections and regions, including the two Anglophone regions. A former political prisoner who later served in Biya's government, Tchiroma publicly apologized in Bamenda, the largest English-speaking city, for his role in government actions. As tensions grew before the result declaration, Tchiroma remained in Garoua, his home city in the north, where supporters gathered.
Post-Election Developments
The official election result has led to expressions of frustration and anger among opposition supporters. Security forces have reportedly shot protesters in Douala, a southern port city and economic hub. Similar reports of shooting have also emerged from Garoua. Biya's pursuit of an eighth presidential term has been accompanied by significant challenges and consequences for Cameroon.