Cameroon’s main opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, has rejected the re-election of President Paul Biya, describing the October 12 presidential poll as “a masquerade.”
The 92-year-old Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, secured his eighth term in office with 53.7 percent of the vote, according to results announced by the Constitutional Council on Monday. His closest rival, Tchiroma, a former government minister, came second with 35.2 percent.
Reacting to the declaration, Tchiroma said, “There was no election; it was rather a masquerade. We won unequivocally.”
Tchiroma had earlier declared himself the winner two days after the election and called on his supporters to stage peaceful demonstrations. However, protests outside his residence in Garoua turned deadly, with reports of two people killed during a confrontation with security forces.
According to eyewitness accounts, security operatives initially used tear gas before resorting to “live ammunition.” A journalist at the scene confirmed witnessing one person shot, though the victim’s condition could not be verified.
In the economic capital, Douala, four more people were reportedly killed during clashes between security forces and opposition supporters on Sunday. Authorities have since imposed restrictions on public gatherings and traffic movement in major cities to prevent further unrest.
Despite the tension, the Constitutional Council maintained that the election was credible, citing a voter turnout of 46.3 percent. Other candidates trailed behind, including Cabral Libii with 3.4 percent, Bello Bouba Maigari with 2.5 percent, and Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya—the only female candidate—with 1.7 percent.
Tchiroma insists his own tally shows he won with 54.8 percent of the vote against Biya’s 31.3 percent. He urged Cameroonians to “stand up against falsified and distorted results,” while reiterating his plan for a transitional government lasting three to five years to “rebuild a country destroyed by decades of misrule.”
Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, remains the country’s second leader since independence from France in 1960. His government has faced growing criticism for its suppression of dissent, economic disparity, and handling of separatist conflicts in the Anglophone regions.
