Paul Biya has done it again. At 92, the man who has ruled Cameroon since 1982 has been declared the winner of yet another presidential election – his eighth term in power.
The Constitutional Council handed him 53.7% of the vote, a result that was greeted not with applause, but anger, disbelief, and the smell of tear gas.
In Douala, Yaoundé, and Garoua, crowds spilt into the streets within minutes of the announcement.
“We voted for change, not this,” shouted one protester before police fired canisters into the air.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes – shouting, stones, running feet, and the sharp hiss of gunfire. Human rights monitors reported at least four people dead in the clashes that followed
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Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, once a loyal Biya ally, rejected the results outright.
“This is not an election. It’s a coronation,” he told reporters in Garoua. He insisted his own tallies showed him leading and called for international mediation.
But the pattern feels familiar. For decades, Paul Biya has combined state power, patronage, and a tightly managed electoral system to maintain his grip.
In 2008, he abolished term limits, clearing the path for this moment. Each election since has followed the same script: a tense buildup, allegations of fraud, and a final proclamation that feels preordained.
The run-up to this vote was tense. Internet shutdowns, bans on public gatherings, and harassment of opposition agents marked the campaign season.
Independent observers complained of restricted access.
“We saw irregularities at nearly every stage,” said one international monitor, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal.
Beyond the numbers, the discontent runs deep. Cameroon’s economy, rich in timber, oil, and cocoa, has failed to deliver broad prosperity.
In the English-speaking regions, where conflict with separatist groups simmers, frustration has hardened into fury. Many young voters say they see no future in a nation where one man has ruled their entire lives.
Abroad, reactions have been muted. Western governments are urging calm while avoiding direct confrontation with a long-time partner in the fight against regional instability.
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But inside Cameroon, patience is wearing thin.
“The people are tired,” said a student in Yaoundé.
“We want a president who listens, not one who hides behind soldiers.”
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