Cameroon votes as 92-year-old President Paul Biya seeks 8th term in office 

Voting got underway on Sunday across Cameroon as President Paul Biya, 92, looks set to secure yet another term in office, reinforcing his status as the world’s oldest serving head of state.

The one-round election pits Biya against 11 contenders, including 79-year-old former employment minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, whose campaign has stirred unexpected enthusiasm among voters in a country where nearly half the population is under 20.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. local time (0700 to 1700 GMT). Around eight million Cameroonians are eligible to cast their ballots—most of them having known no other leader in their lifetime.

Biya, who first came to power in 1982, has dominated every election for more than two decades, consistently winning over 70 percent of the vote.

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“We shouldn’t be naive. We know full well the ruling system has ample means at its disposal to get results in its favour,”said Cameroonian political scientist Stephane Akoa.“But the campaign in recent days has been much livelier than usual… This poll is therefore more likely to throw up surprises.”

The veteran leader maintained his usual low profile throughout the campaign, making his first public appearance since May only on Tuesday. Looking visibly fit, Biya addressed supporters in Maroua, the strategic Far North region that holds 1.2 million registered voters and represents the country’s second-largest voting bloc.

The area has long been considered a Biya stronghold, though several of his former allies from the region are now contesting against him.

Rival candidates have spent weeks touring the country, vowing to deliver a new beginning for Cameroon after decades under Biya’s rule. Among them, Bakary has emerged as a key challenger following the exclusion of major opposition figure Maurice Kamto, who finished second in the 2018 race but was disqualified this year by the Constitutional Council — a decision condemned by rights groups such as Human Rights Watch.

In a striking contrast to Biya’s modest rally turnout, Bakary drew thousands of supporters in his home region of Maroua, where banners proclaimed him “Tchiroma the Saviour.”

Biya remains only the second president since Cameroon gained independence from France in 1960. Despite its reputation as Central Africa’s most diversified economy, roughly 40 percent of Cameroonians still live below the poverty line, according to 2024 World Bank figures. Urban unemployment stands at 35 percent.

Akoa noted that while many young people long for change, they remain cautious about taking to the streets.

“There is a positive sign of change but perhaps not strong enough to bring young people out onto the streets, as we saw in Madagascar, Tunisia and elsewhere,”he said.

Economic hardship, the rising cost of living, and limited access to clean water, healthcare, and education continue to fuel widespread frustration—though much of the discontent remains confined to social media.
“Many young people intend to vote,” Akoa added.

The government has authorised about 55,000 domestic and international observers, including African Union monitors, to oversee the polls. The Constitutional Council has until October 26 to declare the final results.

Meanwhile, independent online platforms plan to publish their own tallies — a move that authorities have condemned as an attempt to sway public opinion.

Voting takes place amid ongoing unrest in the English-speaking regions, where fighting between separatist groups and government forces has persisted since 2016. Voter turnout in these areas was notably low during the 2018 election.