For the eighth time, 92-year-old Paul Biya—Africa’s oldest and the world’s second-oldest serving head of state- was elected president of Cameroon.
The victory extends his 43-year tenure, which began in 1982. If he completes the new seven-year term ending in 2032, he will be 99.
Official results released Monday by the Constitutional Council gave Biya 53.66 percent of the vote and outright wins in seven regions.
78-year-old Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former communications minister who defected from Biya’s ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC) in early 2025, was Biya’s main election challenger
Backed by a loose opposition coalition, Bakary drew large rallies in urban centers and among the country’s youth-heavy electorate, where 60 percent of the population is under 25.
Bakary rejected the results, alleging fraud. On Monday, he posted on Facebook that gunfire targeted civilians outside his Garoua residence in the North Region.
Local sources and Human Rights Watch reported at least four protester deaths in Douala, Bamenda, and Buea. Internet shutdowns—now in their third day— hampered independent verification.
Biya made only one public campaign appearance. He relied on the RDPC’s regional machinery and state media dominance.
Biya is Cameroon’s second president since independence from France in 1960, following Ahmadou Ahidjo (1960–1982). His 1992 election, won by 39.9 percent amid opposition boycotts, remains his narrowest margin; subsequent votes have delivered landslides (71–94 percent). He eliminated term limits in 2008 and centralized electoral oversight under a government-appointed body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM).
With Biya’s health rarely discussed publicly and no designated successor, the 2032 horizon raises questions about stability in a nation of 28 million where the median age is 18.7.
