![Robert, 75, carries bread to resell as he walks past an election campaign billboard for Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya, who is seeking an eighth term in a presidential election scheduled on October 12, in Douala, Cameroon, on October 4, 2025 [Zohra Bensemra/Reuters]](https://independentnews.co.sz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/7cbbc4b2374cd00bbc3ec3fa0c7bee3457223472-4500x3193-1.webp)
Yaoundé – Cameroonians cast their ballots on Sunday in a presidential election that could extend Paul Biya’s 43-year rule. At 92, Biya is the world’s oldest serving head of state and faces 11 opponents, including former employment minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
Polling stations opened at 8am and closed at 6pm local time, giving the country’s eight million registered voters a single-round election. For many young Cameroonians, Biya is the only president they have ever known.
Biya has maintained a low profile during the campaign, appearing publicly for the first time since May at a rally in Maroua in the Far North region. The region has 1.2 million eligible voters and was once considered a Biya stronghold, though several former allies are now running against him.
Bakary, who resigned from government in June after 20 years in Biya’s administration, has emerged as the leading challenger following the barring of top opponent Maurice Kamto by the Constitutional Council. Bakary’s rallies attracted thousands of supporters in Maroua, many waving placards hailing “Tchiroma the Saviour,” compared with the few hundred who attended Biya’s appearance.
Political scientist Stephane Akoa said the campaign in recent days has been livelier than usual, and this election could produce surprises. Young people make up half of Cameroon’s population, and many are hungry for change, though not yet willing to risk mass protests as seen in other African nations.
Cameroon’s economy is the most diversified in central Africa, rich in natural and agricultural resources. Yet around 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to 2024 World Bank figures, and unemployment stands at 35 percent in major cities. Citizens continue to voice frustrations over high living costs, lack of clean water, healthcare, and education, largely on social media.
The government authorised 55,000 local and international observers, including African Union representatives, to monitor the vote. The Constitutional Council has until October 26 to announce final results. Independent internet platforms have also pledged to compile parallel results, prompting criticism from authorities over alleged attempts to influence public opinion.
The election comes amid ongoing conflict between separatist forces and the government in the English-speaking regions, which has affected voter turnout in previous polls, particularly in 2018.
Discussion about this post