Cameroon’s Biya sworn in for eighth term amid protests, political tensions

Cameroon’s longtime leader, Paul Biya, has been sworn in for a new seven-year term following his victory in last month’s presidential election, which his main opposition rival has described as “a constitutional coup.”

Addressing Parliament on November 6, the world’s oldest president, 92, vowed to remain faithful to the trust of the Cameroonian people and pledged to work for a “united, stable and prosperous” country, Al Jazeera reports.

The inauguration took place in a heavily militarized and partially deserted Yaoundé, reflecting tensions following deadly protests in several regions of Cameroon in the days after the October 19 vote. A three-day lockdown was also imposed this week after former minister and key challenger Issa Tchiroma claimed victory and alleged widespread vote tampering.

The government has confirmed at least five fatalities during the protests, although opposition groups and civil society organizations claim the death toll is significantly higher.

Cameroon’s Supreme Court officially confirmed Biya as the winner of the election on October 27, with 53.66 percent of the vote, ahead of Tchiroma, who received 35.19 percent. Tchiroma insisted the election was fraudulent. “The will of the Cameroonian people was trampled that day, our sovereignty stolen in broad daylight,” he said. “This is not democracy, it is electoral theft, a constitutional coup as blatant as it is shameful.”

Biya first assumed power in 1982 following the resignation of Cameroon’s inaugural president and has remained in office ever since, extending his rule through a 2008 constitutional amendment that removed term limits. His health has been the subject of speculation, as he spends much of his time in Europe, leaving governance largely to senior party officials and family members.

With over 70 percent of Cameroon’s nearly 30 million population under the age of 35, Biya has led the country longer than most citizens have been alive. If he completes his current term, he will leave office close to 100 years old.

His nearly half-century in power has produced mixed results. Armed rebellions in the north and west, combined with a stagnant economy, have fueled disillusionment among young Cameroonians, many of whom are skeptical about the future under his continued leadership.

By Vafa Guliyeva