Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has upheld the decision of the country’s electoral body, Elections Cameroon (Elecam), to disqualify opposition leader Maurice Kamto from the upcoming 12 October presidential election, clearing the way for 92-year-old President Paul Biya to seek an unprecedented eighth term.
The ruling, which Kamto described as “arbitrary” and politically motivated, has intensified tensions ahead of the vote in the oil-rich Central African nation. Kamto was excluded following a dispute within the Manidem party, whose rival faction presented a different candidate. While Kamto’s bid was blocked, Biya’s candidacy, despite facing opposition was approved, potentially extending his nearly 43-year grip on power until he is almost 100 years old.
Out of 83 aspirants, only 12 candidates were approved, with the rest disqualified for reasons ranging from incomplete documentation and unpaid deposits to multiple submissions from the same party. Among the top contenders are Biya himself, longtime political figure Bello Bouba Maigari, former ally-turned-critic Issa Tchiroma Bakary, parliamentarian Cabral Libii, anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, and Social Democratic Front leader Joshua Osih.
Analysts say Biya remains the frontrunner, especially with Kamto, his strongest rival in the 2018 election, out of the race. However, some political experts believe candidates like Libii or Muna could mount a challenge if the fragmented opposition unites. Civil society leaders and political commentators have urged opposition parties to rally behind a single consensual candidate to avoid splitting the vote, but no agreement has been reached.
Kamto, addressing supporters after the ruling, vowed to continue “the struggle” despite his exclusion, while protests in his support have erupted among Cameroonian diaspora communities, including in Paris. With the election just weeks away, the question remains whether the opposition can overcome internal divisions to mount a serious challenge to Biya’s decades-long dominance.
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