Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has vowed to keep challenging President Paul Biya’s re-election, rejecting the official results and calling for continued “peaceful resistance” despite mounting unrest across the country. In his first public address since the Constitutional Council confirmed Biya’s victory on Monday, Tchiroma accused the ruling party of orchestrating a “massive electoral fraud.” Speaking via social media late Tuesday, he said : “The truth of the ballot is clear. We won this election by a large majority. This victory is not mine, it belongs to the Cameroonian people.”
Tchiroma, who placed second in the October 12 presidential election, alleged that state institutions manipulated results in favor of Biya, who was declared the winner with 53.66% of the vote. He urged supporters to stay mobilized, promising a “third phase” of political action: “Let them rejoice, let them dance as this has only just begun. The third step is coming soon.” Deadly protests and crackdown Following the official results, mass protests erupted in Douala and Yaoundé, where demonstrators demanded a recount and denounced what they called “electoral theft.”
Civil society group Stand Up for Cameroon reported that at least 23 people were killed over the weekend as security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse crowds. The group also said that dozens of detainees were being held in “inhumane” conditions. “Lawyers’ testimonies describe swollen faces, bruises, and degrading treatment inflicted on citizens who tried to exercise their rights,” the group said in a statement. Videos circulating online showed armed forces loading lifeless bodies onto trucks as protesters chanted “Give back the corpse.”
Political tension and international concern
Authorities have accused Tchiroma of inciting violence by prematurely declaring victory on election night. The Interior Ministry insisted the vote was “free and transparent,” dismissing opposition claims of fraud. International observers from the African Union and ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) noted irregularities in voter rolls and result tabulation but stopped short of calling the election illegitimate.
At 92 years old, Paul Biya is Africa’s longest-serving leader, having ruled Cameroon since 1982. His latest victory extends his rule into a fifth decade, despite growing frustration over corruption, economic stagnation, and ongoing separatist violence in the Anglophone regions. Tchiroma’s defiance and the ensuing crackdown have deepened concerns that Cameroon’s fragile political stability may be at risk as calls for democratic reform grow louder.
