Vote counting is currently ongoing in Cameroon following the presidential election held on Sunday, in which incumbent President Paul Biya is aiming to secure his eighth consecutive term in office after 43 years of leadership. At 92 years old, Biya is noted as the world’s oldest head of state and faces competition from nine other candidates. The final election results are expected to be released within 15 days.
Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji reported that the voting process was conducted smoothly across the nation. However, there were calls for a boycott, particularly in the English-speaking regions of the country, alongside reports of clashes in the northern areas. This comes in the context of complaints from opposition parties about potential suppression of their supports prior to the election. Notably, Maurice Kamto, a significant challenger, was barred from participating due to a ruling by the Constitutional Council.
On Election Day, protests erupted in the stronghold of leading opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who is 76 years old and previously an ally of Biya. His supporters reportedly clashed with security forces, who responded with tear gas after his residence was surrounded. Tchiroma himself had indicated he was facing threats and emphasized his intention to remain in his home.
Despite these incidents, Minister Nji maintained that the election was largely incident-free across all ten regions, though he did not address the situation in Garoua specifically. He reiterated concerns regarding presidential candidates possibly releasing unofficial results before the official declaration, which he described as a violation warranting legal ramifications. In the Anglophone regions, while some voters turned out to cast their ballots, many chose to abstain due to fears of reprisals from separatists.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj97lvp2xjgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss