Cameroon’s electoral commission, ELECAM, has provisionally barred main opposition leader Maurice Kamto from contesting the upcoming presidential election, a decision that has sparked concerns over potential unrest and seemingly paves the way for another victory for 92-year-old incumbent President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982.
ELECAM announced a provisional list of 13 approved candidates at a press conference on Saturday, notably excluding Kamto. No immediate explanation was provided for the rejection, though disqualified candidates have a two-day window to file an appeal.
Maurice Kamto, 71, a prominent challenger in previous elections, had officially submitted his candidacy last week. In the 2018 presidential election, he secured 14 percent of the vote, finishing second to Biya, who officially claimed over 70 percent amidst widespread allegations of fraud and low voter turnout. This time, Kamto sought to run as the candidate of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM), a communist party, a shift from his 2018 run under the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), which he founded in 2012.
The disqualification of such a key opposition figure has triggered a wave of anxiety in the capital, Yaoundé, and across the country. In anticipation of potential protests, security forces have been deployed around ELECAM headquarters and along key roads in both Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroon’s commercial capital. The United Nations Department of Safety and Security had previously issued a warning that the announcement could provoke demonstrations.
ELECAM stated that a total of 83 candidates had submitted applications, but only 13 were provisionally approved. The final list of candidates is expected to be published in the coming days, following the resolution of any appeals.
President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest sitting head of state, confirmed last month that he would seek re-election on October 12, marking his eighth bid for office. His extended tenure has been met with growing concerns about his health and long-standing criticisms of his administration.
Over four decades, Biya’s rule has faced persistent allegations of corruption, political repression, and a violent separatist conflict in the country’s English-speaking regions, which has disrupted education and displaced thousands.
Among the 13 approved candidates are former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari, a long-time ally of President Biya, and Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who resigned from his position as employment minister in June to contest the election.
