Cameroon has entered another eighth-year term under President Paul Biya after the country’s Constitutional Council confirmed his re-election on Monday.
At 92 years old, the world’s oldest sitting president won 53.66 % of the vote in the 12 October poll. His closest challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, received 35.19 %, according to the official count.
“Hereby proclaimed president-elect: the candidate Biya Paul,” declared Council President Clément Atangana, as the results were announced in Yaoundé.
This victory extends Biya’s rule to 43 years and, if he completes the term ending around 2032, he will be close to 100 years old .
Why Biya keeps winning
Analysts point to four main pillars of his political survival:
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Institutional control: Key bodies such as the electoral commission and judiciary are widely seen as aligned with the incumbent system.
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A Weak, fragmented opposition: ThoughTchiroma’s campaign was broad-based, it faced steep structural obstacles in mounting a truly equal challenge.
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A legacy of stability (or at least continuity) that appeals to certain sectors amid regional tensions, economic pressures and security threats.
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Succession inertia: With no visible successor strong enough to take over smoothly, Biya’s continuation avoids elite infighting or power vacuum.
Together, these dynamics create elections that allow participation but rarely deliver transformation.
However, the announcement sparked unrest across the country. Violent clashes were reported in Douala and Garoua with at least four people confirmed dead in protests. Authorities has since imposed bans on gatherings and restricted movement in major cities.
Tchiroma rejected the entire process, stating, “There was no election, it was rather a masquerade. We won unequivocally.”
However, the government insists the poll was legitimate and urges citizens to remain calm.
The situation in Cameroon is indeed a political anomaly as Biya rarely appears in public and reportedly spends long periods abroad, often in Switzerland.
His minimal style of governance leaves ministers and advisers to run state affairs, prompting questions about accountability and direction.
Young Cameroonians, more than 70 % under age 35 express growing anger over unemployment, insecurity and the belief that political change is impossible.
One civil-society leader said:
“Many young people had hoped for change, but their hopes have been dashed again.”
What happens now?
Paul Biya’s declared ‘victory‘, Anglophone conflict remains unresolved, economic frustrations are growing, and the elite’s competition over succession is intensifying.
Many analysts believe that the end of Biya’s rule may not come through elections but through health, internal power shifts, or mass uprising. For now, Cameroonians are left with a familiar leader and an uncertain future.
