Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has declared President Paul Biya the winner of the country’s disputed election, extending his more than four decades in power.
The 92-year-old leader, already the world’s oldest sitting president, secured 53.66% of the vote, according to official results announced on Monday.
His closest rival, former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, received 35.19%. The announcement followed a tense weekend of unrest, with at least four protesters killed in clashes with security forces in the port city of Douala. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested as opposition supporters took to the streets to demand transparency and an independent audit of the vote.
The opposition had accused the government of widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing and voter intimidation, allegations that authorities strongly denied. Tchiroma had earlier declared himself the winner, citing tallies his campaign said were independently compiled from polling stations across the country. Biya dismissed the claim as “irresponsible and baseless.”
The latest election, held under tight security, was marked by low turnout in conflict-affected regions. Parts of the English-speaking northwest and southwest, where separatist violence has persisted for years, saw significant disruptions to voting.
International observers were largely absent, with regional bodies offering only limited monitoring. Analysts say Biya’s re-election is likely to entrench political tensions in a country grappling with economic hardship and a simmering insurgency.
Biya, who first assumed office in 1982 after serving as prime minister, has long faced criticism for authoritarian rule and resistance to political reform. His continued leadership leaves Cameroon’s opposition fractured and its democratic future uncertain.
