Cameroon’s 92-year-old president, Paul Biya, issues new decree on presidential election

Cameroon will hold its presidential election on October 12, following a decree issued Friday by President Paul Biya, the country’s long-serving leader.

At 92, Biya remains at the helm of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), but he has yet to confirm whether he will seek an eighth term in office.

Despite being widely seen as the CPDM’s default candidate, Biya has neither declared his candidacy nor ruled it out.

In recent weeks, signs of internal fracture have emerged within Biya’s political base. Two prominent figures — both former allies — have broken ranks to launch their own bids for the presidency.

Employment Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary stepped down from his post in June to contest the election under the banner of his party, the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC).

Former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari, who supported Biya for nearly three decades, also announced his candidacy under the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP).

Both FSNC and NUDP have historically aligned themselves with Biya’s CPDM, which has dominated Cameroonian politics since the country gained independence in 1960.

Meanwhile, the opposition remains fragmented, struggling to unite behind a single challenger. Among the contenders is Maurice Kamto, a key opposition figure who came in second in the 2018 presidential race and remains one of Biya’s most vocal critics. Cabral Libii, representing the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR), has also thrown his hat into the ring.

Aspiring candidates have until July 21 to officially declare their intention to run.