Cameroon began voting on Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to keep 92-year-old President Paul Biya in power for an eighth term.
Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, has ruled the country for 43 years.
He faces 11 opponents, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, a former employment minister who has attracted surprising support especially among young people. About eight million Cameroonians are eligible to vote in this one-round election.
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. local time.
Biya has won every election over the past two decades with more than 70% of the vote.
However, some observers say this year’s campaign has been more energetic than usual, suggesting a chance for surprises.
Political analyst Stephane Akoa said: “We know the ruling system has all it needs to secure victory, but this campaign has been livelier. That’s a sign things might be changing.”
Despite his age, Biya appeared in good health during a rare public appearance last week at a rally in Maroua, a key northern region with 1.2 million voters.
Once considered a Biya stronghold, the area now includes several candidates who were once his allies.
Youth Vote
Many of Biya’s rivals are appealing to young voters. Bakary, who left Biya’s government in June after 20 years, has become the leading opposition candidate after Maurice Kamto — runner-up in the 2018 election — was barred from running this year.
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, criticized the move as unfair.
Cameroon is one of central Africa’s most resource-rich economies, yet 40% of its people live in poverty, and urban unemployment stands at 35%, according to the World Bank.
Many citizens are frustrated with the high cost of living, lack of clean water, poor healthcare, and weak education.
Although many young people want change, few are willing to protest openly.
“There’s a sign of change,” Akoa said, “but not enough yet for mass demonstrations like we’ve seen in other countries.”
Election Monitoring
About 55,000 local and international observers, including those from the African Union, are monitoring the vote. The Constitutional Council will announce final results by October 26.
Meanwhile, some online platforms plan to publish their own vote tallies, which the government has condemned as attempts to “manipulate public opinion.”
Voting is also affected by ongoing conflict in the English-speaking regions, where separatist violence has continued since 2016.
Turnout there was low in the 2018 election and is expected to remain so this year.