In a truly remarkable turn of events, Paul Biya, recognized as the world’s oldest sitting president, was officially announced on Monday as the victor of Cameroon’s presidential election. Securing nearly 54 percent of the vote, this eighth term could extend his leadership until he is almost 100 years old.
Despite strong claims of victory and accusations of widespread fraud from an opposition candidate just two days after the October 12 election, Cameroon’s electoral commission confirmed Mr. Biya, aged 92, as the winner. The opposition had denounced the process as a ‘predatory oligarchy.’
Analysts described this election as one of the most pivotal in decades for the Central African nation. Notably, these results represent Mr. Biya’s narrowest victory margin since 1992.
Cameroon stands as a stark illustration of a continent dominated by youth, yet governed by leaders from a past generation. With a median age of just 18.9 in 2024, most Cameroonians were born after Mr. Biya first assumed power in 1982, and he has yet to outline any plans for his succession.
However, this electoral outcome could trigger a significant political crisis. A large segment of Cameroon’s youth population rejects the results, and allegations of fraud may ignite widespread protests, mirroring the Gen Z movements across the continent demanding economic opportunities and governmental accountability.
Further exacerbating public discontent, Mr. Biya has a history of prolonged absences from Cameroon, with numerous lavish trips to Switzerland. One investigation estimated his hotel expenses alone tallied approximately $65 million, fueling public resentment.
Image: President Paul Biya, 92, casting his ballot in Yaoundé this October. This scene underscores Cameroon’s unique position in Africa, where a youthful populace is governed by leaders from a considerably older generation.
Since the election, Cameroon has been gripped by escalating tensions. Security forces were on high alert amidst widespread fraud allegations that sparked protests in Yaoundé and other major cities. Tragically, four individuals died in Sunday’s protests in Douala, the nation’s economic hub, with several security force members also reported injured by regional authorities.
Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla, a prominent human rights lawyer in Cameroon, strongly asserted that Mr. Biya’s victory was impossible without ‘massive fraud.’
“This election was essentially a protest vote,” he stated. “People yearned for change, not solely due to Biya’s advanced age, but because the country’s systems are failing.”
The generational gap is so profound that it has even permeated the first family. Brenda Biya, the president’s daughter, publicly urged her TikTok followers not to vote for her father, citing years of national suffering under his rule.
Mr. Biya is not an anomaly; Africa is home to numerous leaders well over 70. Just last Saturday, Ivory Coast conducted an election where 83-year-old President Alassane Ouattara sought a fourth term. This move came despite constitutional limits of two terms, which Mr. Ouattara circumvented via an amendment that ‘reset’ his term count.
Across Africa, seventeen national leaders are currently over the age of 70, starkly contrasting with the continent’s median age of just 19.
Remarkably, even Mr. Biya’s primary opponent, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, is 76 years old. Until June, Bakary was a long-time loyalist and minister under Biya. He garnered 35 percent of the vote in Monday’s official results. Meanwhile, Maurice Kamto, 71, a prominent opposition figure, was prevented from participating by the electoral commission.
Image: Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary casting his ballot in Garoua. Two days post-election, he controversially declared himself the landslide victor.
Just two days following the election, Mr. Tchiroma Bakary boldly proclaimed a landslide victory for himself and issued threats of organizing widespread street protests against Mr. Biya.
Last week, he declared, “We absolutely refuse to have our victory snatched away. The people will not tolerate this. They are resolute in their fight against a regime that has turned a deaf ear to their hardships and struggles.”
This isn’t Mr. Biya’s first encounter with such opposition. Following the 2018 election, Mr. Kamto also claimed victory. After denouncing the results as fraudulent and spearheading protests, Kamto was arrested and imprisoned for nine months.
For more than four decades, Mr. Biya has navigated a multitude of challenges. These include a coup attempt by the presidential guard in 1984, a persistent secessionist movement that has plagued the country’s English-speaking regions since 2016, and internal power struggles within his own party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement.
Through it all, he has relentlessly solidified his power. He has systematically suppressed opposition, dismantled safeguards against electoral fraud, and notably, abolished presidential term limits in 2008. Analysts suggest that a key to his four-decade rule has been his unwavering control over the military, effectively thwarting any coup attempts.
Even as neighboring Sahel region governments fell to coups in recent years, Mr. Biya has consistently maintained his position.
Image: A prominent campaign advertisement for Mr. Biya displayed in Douala, Cameroon, earlier this month.
Analysts speculate that the most significant threat to his enduring leadership might not stem from political rivals like Mr. Tchiroma Bakary, but rather from the power vacuum created by his lengthy tenure. With no official succession plan, some believe Mr. Biya is subtly preparing his son, Franck Biya, to take over.
Hubert Kinkoh, an analyst, remarked, “He is elderly and in poor health. Should he pass away while still in office, there is no designated successor, which poses a significant risk of intense political infighting.”
Chuo Walters, a lawyer and university professor supportive of Mr. Biya, drew parallels to Gabon’s former president, Omar Bongo, who passed away from a heart attack at 73 after 41 years in power, eventually being succeeded by his son.
However, Mr. Walters added that Mr. Biya’s true intentions remain unknown. “He is an exceptionally private individual who enjoys surprising everyone,” he noted.
Ndi Eugene Ndi contributed reporting.