92-Year-Old Paul Biya Seeks to Extend 43-Year Rule in Cameroon Election

Cameroonian President Paul Biya casts his ballot while his wife Chantal observes the process.

New Delhi:

At 92 years old, Paul Biya, currently the world's oldest serving president, appears set to extend his remarkable 43-year leadership of Cameroon as the nation prepares for its upcoming election. Sunday's single-phase voting is widely expected to secure Biya another seven-year term, which would mean he would be 99 years old when it concludes.

Political analysts predict Biya's victory is virtually assured, largely due to his firm control over state institutions and a fragmented opposition landscape. In this election cycle, he faces 11 challengers, with former government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary, aged 79, emerging as his most formidable opponent.

Despite maintaining a notably low public profile for many years, Biya made his sole campaign appearance on Tuesday in Maroua. During his address, he stated: "I am well aware of the problems that concern you. Based on my own experience, I can assure you that these problems are not insurmountable."

Biya initially rose to power in 1982 following the resignation of his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo, Cameroon's first president after independence. Remarkably, the nation has experienced just two leaders since gaining independence from colonial rule in 1960. Prior to becoming head of state, Biya served as Cameroon's fifth Prime Minister from 1975 to 1982.

This year has witnessed increasing pressure for Biya to step down. Catholic Archbishop Samuel Kleda publicly stated on French radio last Christmas that it was "not realistic" for Biya to continue leading the nation. Two of his longtime political allies, Issa Tchiroma and Bello Bouba Maigari, have defected to the opposition, openly questioning Biya's fitness for leadership.

Even within his family, dissent has surfaced. His 27-year-old daughter, Brenda Biya, joined calls for his retirement in a viral TikTok video where she claimed her father "has made too many people suffer" and urged citizens not to vote for him, though she later retracted these statements.

According to UN estimates, approximately 43 percent of Cameroon's population lives in poverty, with one-third of its 30 million citizens subsisting on less than $2 daily. For this election, roughly 8 million people, including over 34,000 overseas voters, are eligible to participate in the Central African nation's electoral process.