Protests have erupted in parts of Cameroon following the October 12 presidential election, despite earlier appeals from Catholic Bishops for peace, transparency, and integrity during the polls.
In the country’s commercial capital, Douala, angry demonstrators accused officials of manipulating ballot tallies to secure an advantage for the long-serving President Paul Biya. Videos circulating on social media showed protesters alleging vote tampering and demanding justice.
Security forces were deployed to restore calm. A police officer confirmed that efforts were ongoing to maintain order and encourage protesters to express grievances peacefully.
Similar demonstrations were reported in Dschang, where the ruling party’s headquarters were set ablaze amid tensions.
The 92-year-old President Paul Biya, Africa’s second-longest serving Head of State after Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang, sought his eighth term in the Sunday election. Biya has ruled Cameroon since 1982, following the 2008 constitutional amendment that removed the two-term presidential limit.
Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has declared himself the winner, a claim dismissed by the Minister of Territorial Administration as unlawful and “a matter of serious concern.” The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) described Bakary’s announcement as a “grotesque hoax,” insisting that only the Constitutional Council can declare official results.
The official results are expected by October 26, once the national electoral body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), compiles reports for validation by the Constitutional Council. However, concerns persist over the fairness and transparency of the vote, with civil society groups and media reporting irregularities.
Before the elections, members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) urged citizens to vote peacefully, condemned intimidation, and called on authorities to ensure electoral security.
In their April pastoral letter, the bishops warned that armed conflicts in the Far North, North-West, and South-West regions could disrupt the polls. “Every human life is sacred and must be protected,” they wrote, emphasizing the duty to safeguard peace before, during, and after the elections.
In August, bishops of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference (BAPEC) reminded voters that exercising the right to vote is “an act of grave moral responsibility.” They cautioned against voter apathy, corruption, and manipulation, urging citizens to vote according to conscience.#
Individual bishops, including Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala, have consistently condemned corruption, violence, and bad governance. They called for justice, reconciliation, and a renewed spirit of peace as the nation faces one of its most tense electoral moments.
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