Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest serving ruler, has won an eighth term in office, according to official results announced on Monday, amid rising tensions and reports of violence near the home of his main challenger.
The Constitutional Council declared that Biya, 92, secured 53.66% of the votes in the 12 October presidential election, defeating his former ally, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who garnered 35.19%. The new seven-year mandate could keep the veteran leader in power until nearly age 100.
Opposition protests have erupted across several cities over the past week after partial results suggested Biya was heading for victory. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces have left at least four people dead in Douala, the country’s commercial hub.
There was no immediate response from the government, which has dismissed opposition claims of electoral irregularities.
Following the announcement of the results, Tchiroma wrote on Facebook that two people were killed after gunfire erupted outside his home in Garoua, northern Cameroon. He did not identify the shooters or directly comment on the official outcome. Reuters could not independently verify his account.
Tchiroma, a former government spokesman and employment minister in his late seventies, broke away from Biya earlier this year and ran on a platform supported by a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups. His campaign drew large crowds across the country, and he had earlier declared himself the winner of the election.
Also Read: Cameroonians Vote in Presidential Election as Biya Seeks Eighth Term
Analysts have warned that Biya’s victory could deepen divisions and spark further violence.
“We expect unrest to escalate as Cameroonians widely reject the official result, and we cannot see the Biya government lasting much longer,” said Francois Conradie, lead political economist at Oxford Economics.
Murithi Mutiga, Africa Programme Director at the International Crisis Group, said Biya’s mandate appeared “notably shaky,” urging the president to “urgently initiate national mediation to prevent further escalation.”
Biya, who has ruled since 1982, remains one of the world’s longest-serving leaders. He scrapped presidential term limits in 2008 and has since retained a firm grip on power through successive election victories.
Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council, formally declared Biya the winner, saying: “Hereby declared elected President of the Republic, having obtained the majority of the votes cast, the candidate, Biya, Paul.”
