Cameroon’s constitutional court has cleared President Paul Biya to stand in the October 12 elections, rejecting an attempt to block the 92-year-old leader from seeking an eighth term in office.
The ruling extends Biya’s nearly 43 years in power and positions him once again at the center of Cameroon’s political future.
The challenge was brought by Akere Muna of the Universe party, one of 12 candidates contesting the vote, who argued that Biya’s advanced age and health concerns made him unfit for office.
Muna, a lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner, accepted the decision but said doubts linger over Biya’s capacity to govern. “President Biya reigns but he doesn’t govern,” Muna said, pointing to the leader’s reliance on his inner circle and wife to carry out state duties.
Facts on Cameroon’s 2025 Presidential Election and Biya’s Position
Cameroon’s presidential election is scheduled for October 12, 2025, following a decree issued by President Paul Biya in July.
A total of thirteen candidates have been cleared to run, including Biya himself, Bello Bouba Maigari, Joshua Osih, Cabral Libii, and Akere Muna.
Opposition leader Maurice Kamto, seen as Biya’s strongest challenger, was barred from the race after the Constitutional Council rejected his legal challenge in early August.
Analysts estimate that Biya, who has ruled since 1982, has a 60–70% probability of re-election, largely due to the ruling party’s dominance over electoral institutions.
Internal challenges have emerged as longtime allies Bello Bouba Maigari and Issa Tchiroma defected to contest the presidency. However, observers note that these candidacies may split the opposition vote, which could reinforce Biya’s position.
In Cameroon’s case, the 2025 election appears less a contest over Biya’s fitness than a reflection of the structures that have kept him in power for over four decades.
The election takes place against a backdrop of ongoing separatist conflict in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, Boko Haram violence in the north, persistent poverty, and widespread youth disillusionment.
Meanwhile, press freedom remains tightly restricted, with censorship and repression of journalists intensifying in the run-up to the polls.
Old and ailing, yet clinging to power
Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe ruled until age 93 before being ousted in 2017, while Algeria’s Abdelaziz Bouteflika remained in office six years after a debilitating stroke, stepping down only after mass protests in 2019.
Gabon’s Omar Bongo governed for 42 years until his death, and his son Ali resisted calls to resign after a stroke before a coup removed him in 2023.
In Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, now in his 80s, continues as the world’s longest-serving president.
These cases show how entrenched systems often shield aging leaders, enabling them to outlast health crises and public discontent.
