When you hear Cameroon presidential election, the periodic vote to choose the head of state in a country ruled by the same leader for over four decades. Also known as Cameroonian presidential vote, it’s not just a ballot—it’s a high-stakes power struggle that affects millions across Central Africa. Since 1982, Paul Biya has held office, surviving multiple elections marked by accusations of fraud, voter suppression, and violent crackdowns on dissent. The most recent contest in 2018 drew international criticism after opposition leaders were jailed, internet blackouts hit English-speaking regions, and turnout figures were widely disputed. This isn’t politics as usual—it’s survival politics in a nation split by language, region, and decades of mistrust.
The Cameroon politics, a system dominated by the ruling CPDM party and tightly controlled state institutions. Also known as Cameroonian governance, it operates with little transparency. The electoral commission is appointed by the president, independent media is silenced, and opposition parties struggle to register candidates or hold rallies. In 2018, the main challenger, Maurice Kamto, was arrested after declaring himself president-elect. His party, the MRC, still hasn’t recovered. Meanwhile, the Anglophone crisis—where English-speaking regions demand autonomy—has turned into a full-blown conflict, with over 6,000 dead since 2016. The electoral violence, the use of force to suppress voting or intimidate opponents during elections. Also known as poll-related repression, is now a predictable feature of every vote. Security forces patrol polling stations like war zones. Voters in the Northwest and Southwest regions often choose not to vote at all, fearing arrest or worse.
What happens in Cameroon doesn’t stay in Cameroon. Neighboring Nigeria, Chad, and the Republic of Congo watch closely. A contested election fuels regional instability. Refugees flood into Nigeria. Armed groups gain strength. Foreign investors pull back. Even wildlife conservation efforts suffer—game farms in the Far North and Littoral regions lose funding as aid shifts to humanitarian crises. The African elections, the broader pattern of contested votes across the continent where power is rarely transferred peacefully. Also known as electoral authoritarianism, are not just about ballots—they’re about control, fear, and the erosion of democracy. Cameroon’s election is a textbook case. And while the world looks away, the people on the ground keep voting anyway—sometimes with their feet, sometimes with their silence, and sometimes, at great risk, with their ballots.
Below, you’ll find real reports from the field: crackdowns in Bamenda, voter turnout data from rural districts, statements from jailed opposition figures, and how global actors respond—or don’t. These aren’t opinion pieces. They’re the raw, unfiltered updates that tell you what’s really going on when the cameras leave.
Paul Biya won Cameroon's 2025 presidential election with 54% of the vote, extending his 43-year rule. Despite legal challenges over his age and health, he remains Africa's second-longest-serving leader amid low turnout and opposition claims of fraud.
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