Elections Cameroon (Elecam) rejected calls from the Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC) and the United Party for Social Renovation (PURS) to hand over election management to an outside group. Elecam signed a CFA3 billion technical assistance deal with the United Nations but insisted it will keep full control.

Enow Abrams Egbe, Chairman of Elecam’s Electoral Council, said, “It is important to specify that in Cameroon, electoral operations are entirely financed by the public treasury.”

The agreement, signed on May 9 in Yaoundé, aims to tap into the UN’s “proven electoral expertise.” It follows a recent African Union mission in Yaoundé from May 12 to 17 to explore electoral cooperation. Egbe explained that the UN assistance will involve six agencies, including UNDP, UN Women, and UNESCO. The support covers the 2025-2027 electoral cycle, which includes the presidential election, regional council elections, and the legislative and municipal polls.

The MRC and PURS sharply criticized the deal. On May 14, Maurice Kamto’s MRC called the initiative risky and warned of a repeat of the 2010 post-election crisis in Côte d’Ivoire. The party said, “Africans in general, and Cameroonians in particular, still remember the UN’s regrettable interference in the electoral process in Côte d’Ivoire in December 2010, which helped to accelerate one of the worst post-electoral crisis in Africa in the 21st century, resulting in thousands of deaths and the desolation of many Ivorian families.”

The MRC also condemned the secrecy around the agreement, noting, “several days after the signing, neither Elecam nor UN officials deemed it necessary to officially communicate on this event.” The party called the timing “unseemly,” especially as the presidential election campaign period approaches.

PURS, led by Serge Espoir Matomba, echoed the criticism. In a May 16 statement, the party “vigorously denounces the interference of the United Nations in Cameroon’s electoral process.” PURS warned that the move threatens national sovereignty. The party asked, “Why is the United Nations, which has never resolved an electoral crisis, intervening here and now?” It added, “How can we understand that in the 21st century, a sovereign country still accepts such foreign tutelage?” PURS called for “a Cameroonian electoral system that responds to the interests and respects the will of the Cameroonian people.”

Despite the backlash, Egbe stood firm. He signed the agreement alongside Issa Sanogo, the UN resident coordinator in Cameroon. Egbe urged Elecam’s mixed commission members to “become more involved in the implementation of the 2025-2027 electoral cycle.”

Source: Business in Cameroon

Young Cameroonian voters hoping for change in this year’s elections still face the possibility that 92-year-old President Paul Biya could announce a bid to extend his more than four decades in power.

Biya, who took the reins in 1982, has remained tight-lipped on whether he plans to stand again in October.

But with just a month to go before candidates have to officially register, some of the party faithful have been calling for him to do so.

Younger voters who have never known another leader in their lifetimes are sceptical about another mandate for the man who is already the world’s oldest head of state.

“It would be one candidacy too many,” said Ange Ngandjo, 35, a banking consultant.

“He’s given what he could. Our generation, trained and competent, also wants to build this country.”

Tweaking a motorbike engine at his workshop in Mokolo, a district of the capital Yaounde, 29-year-old Ibrahim Baba echoed the sentiment.

“A new term for Paul Biya? I don’t think so,” he said.

Law student Celestine Mbida, 24, who attends the University of Yaounde II, will be voting for the first time.

She stopped short of openly criticising the outgoing president but said: “This election represents a lot… It’s the future of the country that is at stake. I want to participate by giving my vote.”

Ruling party divided

After highly contested elections in 2018, Biya tightened his grip on power, cracking down on dissenting opinions with arrests and prison terms, rights activists say.

But even within his Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC), of which he is national party president, support is no longer unanimous.

While some members have called for continuity, others complain that the party has not held a congress to choose its candidate since 2011.

Among them is Leon Theiller Onana, a municipal RDPC councillor for Monatele, a town north of Yaounde. He has lodged a legal complaint to contest the “legality and legitimacy” of his party’s ruling bodies.

Supporters of the president have sought to win over the younger generation.

A gathering under the banner “100,000 youth united behind Paul Biya in 2025” recently took place in the town of Maroua, a presidential stronghold in the poverty-hit Far North.

Organisers said the aim was to unite around Biya for “a resounding victory” in the forthcoming vote.

“He deserves our support,” said Mohamadou Atikou Kalda, coordinator of a regional youth platform.

Biya was behind several projects that supported development in the north, he added. “To continue on this path is essential.”

A ‘charade’

But not everyone is happy; some critics even accuse the organisers of stage-managing the event.

“They rounded up children to make people believe he still has support in the Far North,” one young man said in a video widely shared on social media.

“It’s false, it’s a charade,” he added.

Political analyst Aristide Mono of Yaounde II University said whoever wins the presidency faced high expectations from voters.

“Whether you’re young, old, a woman or a man, the concerns are the same,” he told AFP. “Persistent insecurity in the Far North, anglophone (separatist) crisis, high unemployment, cost of living, tribalism.”

“Young people, like other social groups, are asking themselves about the post-Biya era — because one day or another, in one way or another, Paul Biya will no longer be in power,” he added.

“So we have to anticipate and organise the succession to avoid succession crises that have often led to civil wars.”

‘Lack of succession plan’

The uncertainty weighs on Cameroon’s international standing.

In a November report, Fitch Ratings confirmed the country’s “B negative” rating, putting the chance Biya might run for another term in its “Political Risks” list.

“The lack of a succession plan and political divisions exacerbate the risk of a disorderly transition of power,” it noted.

At 71, Maurice Kamto, leader of the main opposition Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), is hardly the youth candidate, even if he has tried to appeal to them.

“If our country is to survive and achieve a certain rank tomorrow, the youth must be prepared,” he said.

In a country where 60 percent of the population is aged under 25 and youth unemployment is close to 74 percent, the vote will likely be decisive for a generation looking for opportunities and change.

Source: AFP

Amid a secret scheme to widen patronage and appoint a dauphin, President Paul Biya (92) is at last preparing his exit from the political stage in Yaoundé.

Top regime advisors are at work on reforms designed to broaden representation and increase the accountability of government through more parliamentary seats and new posts, according to sources close to the dictator.

The private political consultation started following the arrival of a delegation from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in Yaoundé on 7 April to investigate several cases of mismanagement of funds granted to the Biya Francophone regime.

Source: Africa Confidential

Opposition leader Maurice Kamto is scheduled to hold a “major meeting” in Paris on May 31, according to a circular issued by the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) and signed by the party’s secretary-general, Ndong Christopher Nveh. Roger Justin Noah, the MRC’s deputy secretary-general, stated that “this meeting is a step in the process of staying connected with Cameroonians,” emphasizing its role in Kamto’s declared candidacy for the upcoming presidential election.

Prior to this engagement with the diaspora, Kamto has held numerous discussions with various professional segments of Cameroonian society, including artists and educators. Noah indicated that the MRC president intends to continue these consultations with other social groups within the country. During each of these interactions, Kamto gathers the concerns of his interlocutors to further develop his political platform.

“Maurice Kamto has a political program to propose to Cameroonians, and he wanted to enrich it with the ideas of those to whom this program is intended,” explained Emmanuel Simh, an MRC vice-president, in a recent interview. “We are used to top-down decision-making, but candidate Maurice Kamto has decided to reach out to the grassroots,” he added.

While previous exchanges focused on specific social groups, the MRC highlights that the Paris meeting is primarily a political gathering. However, the party notes that Maurice Kamto is also expected to meet with selected diaspora figures on the sidelines of this event. These informal consultations could broaden his outreach and mobilization efforts.

This initiative has reignited public debate regarding the MRC’s capacity to field a candidate in the presidential election. Following Kamto’s second-place finish in the 2018 presidential election with 14.4% of the vote, the MRC boycotted the legislative and municipal elections in February 2020. Opponents have since argued that the party lacks the required elected representatives to nominate a presidential candidate. MRC officials dispute this, asserting that elected officials have since joined their ranks. The debate remains ongoing but does not appear to diminish the confidence expressed by Maurice Kamto.

Source: Business in Cameroon

As Cameroon gear up for a presidential election later this year, a Catholic bishop in the central African country has urged citizens to vote their consciences and to avoid errors in their choice of president that they may live to regret.

Cameroonians are scheduled to vote in a Presidential election in October, with the country’s 92-year-old President, Paul Biya – in power now for over 43 years – still expected to seek an eighth mandate.

The world’s oldest leader will face a fractured opposition-with the leading names including Professor Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement who claims to have won the 2018 Presidential election; Lawyer Akere Muna, one-one time President of Transparency International – Cameroon and a leading actor in the fight against corruption; Joshua Osih of the opposition Social Democratic Front; and Cabral Libii, a journalist, law lecturer and  opposition member of parliament.

Convinced that this year’s election could be an inflection point in the country’s political story, Bishop Paul Lontsie-Keune of Bafoussam, in Cameroon’s West Region, has called on Cameroonians to massively register and vote in the election.

Addressing thousands of Christians who took part at a recent pilgrimage at the Our Lady of Maria Sanctuary in Douelong, Bamougoum, West Region, the cleric warned Cameroonians against choosing the wrong person that could lead to a lifetime of regret.

“Cette année no make erreur,” the bishop said in a mixture of French and English – a lingua-franca developed by Musician Lapiro de Mbanga. The statement loosely translates as “this year, make no mistake.”

He recognized the freedom of every citizen to vote for any candidate of their choice, but noted that if citizens vote against their consciences – as often happens when money is used to buy votes – then they would be opening the highway to a lifetime of regret that they had a chance to make history, and they busted it.

“Vote your conscience, it is decisive. You can engage in politics but be guided by your conscience. You can be a good Christian and a good politician,” the bishop said.

“You have an assignment to participate in elections… remain engaged to build this beautiful country that belongs to us all,” he said.

He urged the Christians to resist what he called the “demon of intimidation.” Without citing names, Lontsie-Keune made references to the intimidating tactics employed by Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji.

Nji has frequently made reference to the blender and what it does to spices to demonstrate how the state would deal with those who go against the law.

“When you maintain law and order, you do so without qualms… I’d like to tell you that the maintenance of law and order, you have to understand, is like the blender and the criminals for us are the condiments. When you put peanuts, pepper, tomatoes and garlic in the blender, it’s the paste that comes out, you have to remember that,” Nji has said. He recently warned political parties against any form of protests, using the same metaphor.

“Don’t be discouraged; don’t die before your death,” the bishop said as he called on Cameroonians to resist all forms of intimidation.

“Cameroon is neither a grave nor paradise,” Lontsie-Keune remarked.

“The real country of ‘If I had known’ is not prison but hell fire and the master there is Lucifer. Be afraid of the country of ‘If I had known and also be afraid to stay away from the Kingdom of God,” he said.

The reference to Hell in connection with the next presidential election aligns with what the Bishop Barthélemy Yaouda Hourgo of Yagoua in Cameroon’s Far North region said earlier in the year.

“We’re not going to suffer any more than this. We’ve already suffered enough. The worst is not going to come. Even the Devil should first take power in Cameroon and then we’ll see,” the bishop said, insisting that Biya should have no more business at the helm of the state.

“Resist the demon whose mission is to silence you. The characteristic of the demon is to reduce others to a silent mood; so that they can reign…they will also warn you that if you talk you will see,” he told his flock.

Catholic bishops had in a pastoral letter released on March 28 not only urged citizens to massively register and vote, they also insisted on the values of integrity, patriotism, morality, vision, and a capacity to manage transparently as some of the criteria voters should look for in any of the candidates.

They also called for a code of conduct to guide the election-one that will make for a peaceful, free and fair election, whose outcomes should be accepted by all.

Source: Crux

The Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU), led by Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, on April 10, 2025, denounced a social media poll it deemed fraudulent and malicious, citing its unfavorable ranking in the survey of Cameroonian voting intentions.

In a statement released the same day, the UDC condemned what it called “grotesque pre-electoral fraudulent maneuvers,” accusing political actors of manipulating public opinion ahead of the October 2025 presidential election. “These maneuvers aim, as usual, either to distract public vigilance or to prepare it to swallow potential manipulations and distortions cultivated by some during electoral periods,” the UDC stated.

The controversy began on Wednesday, April 3, 2025, with the circulation of a poll allegedly conducted by Politic Data, a French electoral data platform. The survey, shared by journalist Bruno Bidjang, placed the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) first with 65% of voting intentions, followed by the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN) with 17%, and other parties, including the CDU. However, Politic Data swiftly denied conducting the survey, stating, “We do not conduct polls. We therefore did not conduct this one. Please send us the contact details of the journalist who misused our visual identity.“

Following this denial, the CDU called upon the National Communication Council (CNC) and the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (Antic) to intervene. “We urge these public institutions to assume their responsibilities in the face of such abuses,” the CDU stressed, demanding swift action to identify and apprehend those responsible for the fake poll.

“By bringing this deception to the attention of both national and international public opinion, and by pointing out that the author has been caught red-handed and unmasked, [the CDU] reminds us that, in building the Cameroon of tomorrow—which is a duty for all—we must urgently bring a good measure of morality and ethics into politics,” the UDC stated. “We call on Cameroonians to turn away from underhanded and dirty-handed politics.“

Tensions escalated when, days after the initial fake poll, another alleged survey circulated, this time shared by SDF militant Alex Nguepi. This poll placed Joshua Osih first with 39.7%, followed by Paul Biya at 39%. The CDU also dismissed this poll as an attempt to manipulate public opinion.

These incidents occur amidst the Catholic Church’s recent release of a code of conduct for political actors during the presidential campaign.

Source: Business in Cameroon

The new National Assembly building, recently inaugurated on November 30, 2024, will host an official naming ceremony on April 25, where it will be named the “Paul Biya Glass Palace,” the parliamentary institution’s president announced today.

“This ceremony speaks to all of us, especially we, the representatives of the people, regardless of political affiliation,” stated Right Honourable Cavaye Yegué Djibril.

The modern structure, valued at 50 billion CFA francs and gifted by China, previously hosted the closing of the November parliamentary session shortly after its inauguration. At that time, the National Assembly President secured Head of State Paul Biya’s approval for the building to bear his name.

Djibril also announced the establishment of a Directorate of Palaces within his office. This new department will be tasked “for maintaining this architectural gem equipped with state-of-the-art technical and technological facilities.”

Source: Business in Cameroon

The latest data from International Parliamentary Union (IPU) reveal the oldest Senate presidents in Africa.

Senators serve as stabilising forces in the political landscape, and often, the leaders of these chambers are individuals with decades of experience in public service. The role of these seasoned legislative leaders remains crucial in shaping Africa’s politics.

Here are the top 10 oldest current senate leaders in Africa

1. Marcel Niat Njifenji – Cameroon (91 years old)

At 91, Marcel Niat Njifenji stands as the oldest Senate leader on the continent. As President of the Senate in Cameroon, he has played a key role in the country’s legislative processes since 2013. His long political career has made him a central figure in Cameroon’s governance.

2. Paulette Missambo – Gabon (76 years old)

Leading Gabon’s Transitional Senate, Paulette Missambo brings decades of public administration and political activism to the role. At 76, she is one of the few women heading a parliamentary body in Africa .

3. Pierre Ngolo – Republic of the Congo (71 years old)

Pierre Ngolo has served in various governmental roles and is known for his influence within Congo’s legislative circles. At 71, his leadership continues to shape national policy making.

4. María Teresa Efua Asangono – Equatorial Guinea (68 years old)

As the first woman to preside over the Senate in Equatorial Guinea, María Teresa Efua Asangono, 68, symbolizes progress in gender representation in high political office.

5. Mabel M. Chinomona – Zimbabwe (67 years old)

Mabel Chinomona, 67, holds the distinction of being the President of Zimbabwe’s Senate. With a background in education and grassroots politics, she emphasises unity and institutional reform.

6. Richard Ravalomanana – Madagascar (66 years old)

At 66, Richard Ravalomanana serves as President of Madagascar’s Senate, where he plays a critical role in promoting democratic governance.

7. Kandia Kamissoko Camara – Côte d’Ivoire (66 years old)

Also aged 66, Kandia Camara is the first woman to lead the Ivorian Senate. With a strong background in education and diplomacy, her presidency is seen as an important moment in Côte d’Ivoire’s push for inclusive governance.

8. François-Xavier Kalinda – Rwanda (63 years old)

François-Xavier Kalinda, 63, heads Rwanda’s Senate with a focus on institutional resilience and reconciliation. His tenure reflects Rwanda’s post-genocide emphasis on unity, justice, and sustainable development.

9. Godswill Akpabio – Nigeria (63 years old)

At 63 former governor and minister, Godswill Akpabio brings a wealth of political experience to his role as Senate President in Nigeria.

10. Lindiwe Dlamini – Eswatini (60 years old)

At 60, Lindiwe Dlamini leads Eswatini’s Senate. Her leadership exemplifies the blend of modern political systems with cultural heritage in the kingdom.

Source: Business Today

A public spat has erupted within Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), with former party executive Armand Noutack accusing activist Wilfried Ekanga of labeling party founders “careerists.” Noutack’s comments followed Ekanga’s social media post criticizing those who sought legislative or municipal office, a move Ekanga attributed to “careerism.” Noutack, expelled from the MRC in July 2023 by leader Maurice Kamto, was reacting to Ekanga’s defense of the party’s 2020 election boycott.

Ekanga’s remarks came in response to Sosthène Médard Lipot, another former MRC executive, who, during an April 1 appearance on state broadcaster CRTV, criticized the boycott. Lipot argued that the MRC would continue to suffer from the decision, revealing he only learned of the boycott while filing his candidacy at the Yaoundé Urban Community. “The overwhelming majority of party officials, myself included, were surprised by Maurice Kamto’s decision,” Lipot stated.

Calling the unilateral decision a “major strategic mistake,” Lipot expressed shock and confusion. “You can imagine the emotional shock. I didn’t know how to explain to anyone that I had no idea what was going on,” he said.

Ekanga, however, defended the boycott, stating, “No one in the MRC regrets the boycott. On the contrary, we celebrate it every 1982 seconds. It was the best political decision of the last ten years! Especially since it in no way prevents us from putting forward a candidate in the elections.”

Noutack countered, mocking Ekanga’s stance. “While Maurice Kamto claims that the MRC has elected officials (one wonders how), Ekanga boasts about a boycott that supposedly eliminated the ‘traitors.’ Very well, but then where do the elected officials Kamto talks about come from? Jupiter?“

Noutack further questioned Kamto’s consistency, noting his past electoral attempts. “Since the party’s creation, Maurice Kamto has never missed an election: in 2013, he tried to become a member of parliament… failure. In 2018, he aimed for Etoudi… failure. In 2020, since it didn’t directly concern him, he chose to boycott, citing the Anglophone crisis and the electoral code.“

Former MRC executives and political opponents argue that Kamto should bear the consequences of the 2020 boycott, given that the cited reasons—the Anglophone crisis and electoral law criticisms—remain unresolved.

Beyond the internal disputes, questions remain regarding Kamto’s eligibility to run in the 2025 presidential election. Cameroon’s electoral code requires candidates to be nominated by a party with institutional representation or secure 300 endorsements. The MRC’s 2020 boycott complicates the first option.

Kamto claims his party has elected officials who joined post-election, meeting the legal requirement. However, legal experts dispute this, arguing only officials elected under the party’s banner qualify. Without a valid nomination, Kamto may be forced to seek endorsements, a process often hindered by political pressure.

This debate, dividing opposition and legal circles, casts uncertainty over the MRC’s electoral strategy and Kamto’s 2025 candidacy.

Source: Sbbc