Cameroon’s 92-Year-Old Paul Biya Wins Re-Election Amid Fraud Claims and Deadly Protests

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, aged 92 and the world’s oldest head of state, has been declared the winner of the country’s presidential election with 53.66% of the vote, extending his more than 42-year rule.

The results, announced by the Constitutional Council on Monday, sparked outrage and deadly protests across several cities.

Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former minister who defected from Biya’s government, rejected the outcome, claiming a “landslide victory” and urging Biya to concede. His campaign, backed by a coalition of opposition parties and civil groups, mounted the strongest challenge to Biya in years.

Following the announcement, violent demonstrations erupted in Douala and Ngaoundere, leaving at least four people dead in clashes with security forces. Protesters burned tyres and effigies of Biya while chanting, “Respect the truth of the ballot box.”

Biya, who first took office in 1982, has repeatedly extended his rule by abolishing term limits and winning disputed elections. Critics accuse his regime of authoritarianism, election rigging, and suppressing dissent, while supporters hail him as a stabilizing figure in a volatile region.

The post-election unrest highlights growing frustration in Cameroon, where many citizens; especially the youth who see Biya’s prolonged rule as a symbol of political stagnation and unfulfilled democratic promises.