By: Scott Jackson
10.28.2025
Violence has broken out across urban areas of the Central African country of Cameroon after a constitutional court decision giving president Paul Biya another 7 years term.The country’s opposition parties claim the election was rigged citing high numbers of people who voted in a region where armed separatist conflict is currently ongoing.
This election will see Paul Biya, who first won the presidency in 1982, saying in office till 2032. Biya will be nearing 100 at that time. He is the oldest world leader currently serving anywhere. This is his 8th consecutive term as President of the country of 30 million people.
The results of the election and the vote of the constitutional court has sparked a number of large uprisings and protests which the government has responded to with force. Opposition supporters have defied a countrywide ban on protesting and have taken to the streets, lighting police cars on fire, burning car tires in the street and barricading roads. Before the results from the constitutional court were annonced a number of supporters had come out for opposition leader,Issa Tchiroma Bakary the leader of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon party, those supporters were dispersed with police water cannons and tear gas.
Tchiroma claims he won the election with 55% of the vote which is not the official number which sits at 35.19%. Biya on the other hand ,officially, according to the constitutional court has 35.19%.
Tchiroma is the candidate put forward by the political coalition “union for change” a group that brought together dozens of political parties and civil groups in an effort to oust Biya from power. Tchiroma has been a politician in the country for a long time and served as the government spokesperson during the years of fighting with Boko Haram. Considered by some to be a member of the “old guard”, he has promised change to come to Cameroon.
One candidate, Tomaïno Ndam Njoya who came out fifth in the election, said that the outcome of the election didn’t fairly represent the “sovereign will” of the country or its people.
“They reflect a weakened electoral system, undermined by irregularities, manipulation and repeated violations of the law,”Tomaïno Ndam Njoya
The governor of the Wouri River Estuary, Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, told the AFP news agency that protesters had attacked and burned police stations in several districts across the city of Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon.
As of yesterday four people had already been killed with dozens wounded. Videos being released online show riot police opening up with what seems to be live ammunition.
(Video wouldn’t let me embed so here is the link.)
https://twitter.com/l_kmer237/status/1982868989631164760?s=46&t=pPISHVltNhVr2rHvuYinRA
The United Nations Secretary-General echoed concerns shared by the European Union regarding violence against the population. Both urge restraint and to not let hate speech and violence take over. Some human rights groups, like Amnesty International have launched investigations into the civilian deaths and “excessive use of force” against protesters.
Global Conflict Reporting 
You must be logged in to post a comment.