Monday, October 13, 2025-Cameroon is heading to the polls in a tense and closely watched election as President Paul Biya, now 92 and the world’s oldest sitting leader, seeks yet another term in office.
Biya, who has ruled since 1982, is campaigning on promises of stability and economic continuity despite mounting criticism over corruption, repression, and ongoing conflict in the country’s Anglophone regions.
Opposition parties say the election is heavily skewed in Biya’s favor, citing limited access to state media and widespread voter intimidation in parts of the country.
Voter turnout appeared steady in major cities like Yaoundé and Douala, though reports of irregularities and delayed openings at polling stations emerged early Sunday. Many young voters, frustrated by unemployment and the lack of political change, have expressed deep skepticism about whether their ballots will make a difference.
International observers from the African Union and European Union have been deployed but warn that transparency remains a key concern given Cameroon’s history of disputed elections.
Analysts say the vote could mark a defining moment for the Central African nation’s political future. If Biya wins again, it would cement one of the longest reigns in modern history and further test the resilience of Cameroon’s democratic institutions.
For a new generation of citizens yearning for change, the election is as much about leadership as it is about hope—hope that the outcome might finally open the door to reform in a country long trapped between legacy and transformation.
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