Latest news with #PaulBiya
Zawya
a day ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Cameroon: Main Opposition Candidate Barred from Elections
The decision by Cameroon's electoral board to exclude Maurice Kamto, a key opposition leader and challenger to incumbent President Paul Biya, from the country's upcoming presidential elections raises concerns about the credibility of the electoral process, Human Rights Watch said today. On July 26, 2025, Cameroon's Election Commission (ELECAM) approved 13 out of 83 prospective candidates, including the 92-year-old Biya, who has been running the country since 1982. Elections are scheduled for October 12. Excluded candidates had 72 hours to appeal the decision to the constitutional council. 'The election commission has raised doubt on an election before the votes are even cast,' said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. 'Excluding the most popular opponent from the electoral process will leave a shadow over whatever results are eventually announced.' The decision to bar Kamto from the presidential race reflects the government's long-standing intolerance for any opposition and dissent and comes amid an increased crackdown on opponents, activists, and lawyers since mid-2014, ahead of elections later this year. The commission justified its decision to exclude Kamto, saying it was because the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Mouvement africain pour la nouvelle indépendance et la démocratie, MANIDEM), the party that sponsored him, was also sponsoring another candidate, Dieudonné Yebga. However, Kamto's lawyers and Anicet Ekane, the party's president, said MANIDEM was not sponsoring Yebga and that the decision is arbitrary and politically motivated. The party sought to hold a news conference at its headquarters in Douala, Cameroon's largest city, but security forces shut it down. Kamto, who used to be the leader of the opposition party Cameroon Renaissance Movement (Mouvement pour la renaissance du Cameroun, MRC) and had already challenged Biya in the 2018 elections, sought to run as MANIDEM's candidate for this year's election because the Cameroonian electoral code bars parties with no elected officials from sponsoring a candidate. Kamto's lawyers have appealed the election commission's decision and filed a petition with the Constitutional Council on July 28. Yebga also announced that he will appeal to the Constitutional Council. 'ELECAM's decision has no legal basis and only aims at eliminating a key challenger from the elections, supporting the ruling party's long-term strategy of power confiscation,' Menkem Sother, a member of Kamto's legal team, told Human Rights Watch. Biya is serving out his seventh term. He was last reelected in 2018, after which Kamto challenged the official results and declared himself winner of the election. Biya's 2018 election sparked a wave of political repression. After the vote, opposition-led protests erupted across the country, and the government responded with a heavy crackdown deploying the police, army, and gendarmes who used excessive force against protesters. In January 2019, Kamto and over 200 of his supporters were arrested and detained. Kamto was charged with insurrection, hostility against the homeland, and criminal association, among other charges. He was freed on October 5, 2019, and the charges were dropped, though the crackdown on the opposition continued. In early September 2020, the authorities banned demonstrations across Cameroon after Kamto's MRC encouraged people to protest the government's decision to call regional elections for that December. Opposition parties had expressed concerns that the elections could not be conducted freely and fairly without reforming the electoral code and addressing the lack of security in the country's minority Anglophone regions, where separatist groups and security forces have repeatedly clashed. On September 22, 2020, Cameroonian security forces fired tear gas and water cannons and arrested over 550 people, mainly MRC members and supporters, to disperse peaceful protests across the country. Many of those arrested were beaten and mistreated. While the majority of them were eventually released, others including Olivier Bibou Nissack and Alain Fogue Tedom, two MRC leaders, remain behind bars after being sentenced to seven years in prison. In December 2023, Kamto announced the creation of the Political Alliance for Change, an opposition coalition led by Jean-Michel Nintcheu, a member of Cameroon's parliament. In March 2024, the territorial administration minister banned the coalition, saying it was 'illegal,' and 'clandestine.' Cameroon is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and as such is required to ensure that every citizen, without discrimination on the basis of political opinion, has the opportunity to take part and vote in genuinely free elections. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has found that 'freedom of expression, assembly and association are essential conditions for the effective exercise of the right to vote and must be fully protected.' 'The Election Commission's decision de facto reduces the upcoming vote to a mere formality, buries what remains of Cameroon's democracy, and triggers fears of renewed violence,' Allegrozzi said. 'The commission should reverse its decision and allow Cameroonians to decide their own future.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cameroon opposition leader banned from challenging world's oldest president
Cameroon's opposition leader Maurice Kamto has been excluded from the list of candidates in the 12 October presidential election. Only 13 of the 83 names submitted to the country's electoral body Elecam were accepted. Kamto came second in the 2018 elections amid allegations of fraud. He has not yet commented on the decision. President Paul Biya, 92, the world's oldest president, was included on the list and will seek an eighth term in office. Defying calls to step down, he says he still has a lot to offer Cameroonians despite being in power for nearly 43 years. Biya will be challenged by two former allies, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari, who both come from the vote-rich north of the country. Social media revamp by 92-year-old president struggles to woo young Cameroonians Kamto was excluded because he was one of two candidates registered to represent the Manidem party. Even though he had been officially adopted by the party's ruling body, another candidate from a splinter group also registered himself under the party's name. Manidem president Anicet Ekane described Kamto's exclusion as "arbitrary and provocative". "We call on all Cameroonians to show calm and restraint because for the moment, it is only an offside goal. This tackle from behind must be sanctioned by the Constitutional Council which we will turn to," he added. Those disqualified from the presidential race have two days to file a legal challenge. Kamto was the candidate for the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) in 2018 but the party was not allowed to endorse anyone this year due to its lack of elected representatives in parliament or local councils. So Kamto recently joined the Manidem party, which does have local representation. Renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, and lawmaker Cabral Libii are among the other candidates cleared to run. Firebrand Mayor of Foumban Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya is the only female candidate on the list. More about Cameroon from the BBC: 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers Art curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of career The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights Paul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cameroon opposition leader banned from challenging world's oldest president
Cameroon's opposition leader Maurice Kamto has been excluded from the list of candidates in the 12 October presidential election. Only 13 of the 83 names submitted to the country's electoral body Elecam were accepted. No reason was given for the decision not to allow Kamto to stand. He came second in the 2018 elections amid allegations of fraud. President Paul Biya, 92, the world's oldest president, was included on the list and he will seek an eighth term in office. Defying calls to step down, he says he still has a lot to offer Cameroonians despite being in power for nearly 43 years. Biya will be challenged by two former allies, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari, who both come from the vote-rich north of the country. Social media revamp by 92-year-old president struggles to woo young Cameroonians Kamto was the candidate for the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) in 2018 but the party was not allowed to endorse anyone this year due to its lack of elected representatives in parliament or local councils. So Kamto recently joined the Manidem party, which does have local representation. Renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, and lawmaker Cabral Libii are among the other candidates cleared to run. Firebrand Mayor of Foumban Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya is the only female candidate on the list. Those disqualified from the presidential race have two days to file a challenge at the constitutional council. More about Cameroon from the BBC: 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers Art curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of career The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights Paul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Africa Daily Focus on Africa Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cameroon opposition leader banned from challenging world's oldest president
Cameroon's opposition leader Maurice Kamto has been excluded from the list of candidates in the 12 October presidential election. Only 13 of the 83 names submitted to the country's electoral body Elecam were accepted. No reason was given for the decision not to allow Kamto to stand. He came second in the 2018 elections amid allegations of fraud. President Paul Biya, 92, the world's oldest president, was included on the list and he will seek an eighth term in office. Defying calls to step down, he says he still has a lot to offer Cameroonians despite being in power for nearly 43 years. Biya will be challenged by two former allies, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari, who both come from the vote-rich north of the country. Social media revamp by 92-year-old president struggles to woo young Cameroonians Kamto was the candidate for the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) in 2018 but the party was not allowed to endorse anyone this year due to its lack of elected representatives in parliament or local councils. So Kamto recently joined the Manidem party, which does have local representation. Renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, and lawmaker Cabral Libii are among the other candidates cleared to run. Firebrand Mayor of Foumban Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya is the only female candidate on the list. Those disqualified from the presidential race have two days to file a challenge at the constitutional council. More about Cameroon from the BBC: 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers Art curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of career The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights Paul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Maurice Kamto excluded from Cameroon election list by Elecam
Cameroon's opposition leader Maurice Kamto has been excluded from the list of candidates in the 12 October presidential 13 of the 83 names submitted to the country's electoral body Elecam were reason was given for the decision not to allow Kamto to stand. He came second in the 2018 elections amid allegations of Paul Biya, 92, the world's oldest president, was included on the list and he will seek an eighth term in office. Defying calls to step down, he says he still has a lot to offer Cameroonians despite being in power for nearly 43 will be challenged by two former allies, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari, who both come from the vote-rich north of the media revamp by 92-year-old president struggles to woo young CamerooniansKamto was the candidate for the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) in 2018 but the party was not allowed to endorse anyone this year due to its lack of elected representatives in parliament or local Kamto recently joined the Manidem party, which does have local anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, and lawmaker Cabral Libii are among the other candidates cleared to Mayor of Foumban Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya is the only female candidate on the disqualified from the presidential race have two days to file a challenge at the constitutional council. More about Cameroon from the BBC: 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiersArt curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of careerThe lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rightsPaul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
