Cameroon's opposition leader Maurice Kamto has been officially disqualified from running in the presidential election scheduled for 12 October. Out of 83 candidates submitted to the electoral authority Elecam, only 13 were approved, with Kamto’s name notably absent. He previously secured second place in the 2018 elections, which were marred by allegations of fraud, but has yet to publicly respond to this latest setback.
At 92 years old, President Paul Biya, the world's longest-serving president, is contending for his eighth consecutive term, despite mounting public pressure for him to retire after nearly 43 years in power. He faces challenges from two former collaborators, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari, both of whom hail from the country's northern regions known for their electoral strength.
Kamto's exclusion is attributed to a technicality involving party registration—he was one of two candidates from the Manidem party, with another aspirant aligning with a splinter faction, which led to conflicting nominations. Anicet Ekane, president of the Manidem party, condemned the ruling as "arbitrary and provocative," urging citizens to remain calm as they prepare to appeal the decision to the Constitutional Council.
The deadline for those disqualified to lodge legal appeals is two days. While Kamto's party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), was unable to endorse him due to its lack of elected officials, he switched affiliations to Manidem which holds local power. The slate of candidates also includes other notable figures like anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna and Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, with Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya standing out as the only female candidate in the race.
