Cameroon’s president faces legal challenge in re-election bid
Cameroon’s president Paul Biya, the oldest serving head of state in the world, faces his biggest legal threat to winning an eighth term in the upcoming October elections, according to Africanews plus agencies on August 21st.
92-year-old Biya announced his intention to run for another term in July, despite a tumultuous 2024 where his absence was conspicuous, and his health was scrutinised after speculation about whether he had died.
However, his re-election is under threat after Akere Tabeng Muna, a prominent opposition candidate, filed a formal petition with the Constitutional Council alleging that Biya is ineligible to run under Article 118 of the electoral code.
The motion cities Biya’s advanced age, recurrent health absences and presumed dependency on third parties as grounds for disqualification, with the ruling expected on August 22nd.
Muna’s actions are the latest step in an election cycle which has been marred by constraints on fair competition, with the Constitutional Council upholding the exclusion of Paul Biya’s major rival Maurice Kamto from the ballot, a decision that has provoked anger from Human Rights Watch.
Tensions between Biya and Kamto were already enlarged after the police held a two-day stakeout at Kamto’s home, preventing him from accessing his party building.
Currently, Biya’s main two opponents come in the form of previous allies, Bello Bouba Maigari and Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who have focused their election pathway on comprehensive political reform in a bid to capitalise on disillusionment surrounding poor governance in Cameroon after Biya’s 42-year reign.
Maigari was Biya’s first Prime Minister and an integral part of the ruling CPDM party attracting votes from the north but separated from Biya in June to run independently.
Bakary also separated from Biya’s government recently, but the long-standing closeness to Biya may count against them, and with no meaningful opposition candidate being able to stand, Biya’s legal obstacle may be the only chance Cameroon has for change.
Africanews plus agencies, Maghrebi.org
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