Cameroon unrest deepens amid claims of election manipulation and foreign meddling

Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 27-10-2025

Tensions have escalated sharply across Cameroon as protests swept through several major cities, leaving at least four people dead and dozens injured. The unrest follows growing allegations that the long-serving president, Paul Biya, is attempting to manipulate the country’s recent presidential election results in his favor.

The violence erupted on Sunday in Douala, Cameroon’s largest economic hub, after hundreds of supporters of opposition leader Issa Tchiroma defied a government ban and took to the streets, demanding that the true results of the October 12 elections be respected. Demonstrators erected barricades, burned tires, and clashed with security forces who retaliated with tear gas and water cannons.

According to Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, the regional governor, the protests spiraled after groups of angry youths reportedly attacked police stations in parts of Douala. “Several members of the security forces were injured, and four citizens unfortunately lost their lives,” he confirmed. Opposition figures later verified the fatalities.

The latest demonstrations come amid widespread frustration over what many Cameroonians see as an entrenched leadership unwilling to relinquish power. Preliminary reports circulated by local media suggest that Biya, in office since 1982 and now 92 years old, is on track to secure yet another seven-year term. However, opposition candidate Tchiroma insists that he won with 54.8 percent of the vote, compared to Biya’s 31.3 percent.

Tchiroma’s camp has urged citizens to reject what they call “falsified and distorted results.” The government, meanwhile, has dismissed allegations of vote rigging and asked the public to wait for the Constitutional Council’s official announcement, expected Monday.

Nationwide anger and calls for change

Protests have flared far beyond Douala, spreading through the capital Yaoundé, Garoua, Maroua, Meiganga, Bafang, Bertoua, Kousseri, Yagoua, Kaele, and Bafoussam. Much of the unrest is driven by the country’s young population, who have long suffered from limited employment opportunities and worsening economic stagnation.

Journalist Blaise Eyong, reporting from Douala, noted that young people are “furious at the blatant manipulation of their votes” and see the protests as their only means of expression. “You can feel the frustration when you talk to them,” he said, highlighting how the state’s decades-long failure to address youth unemployment has deepened disillusionment.

Despite reports of partial internet blackouts and restricted communications, protesters have continued to mobilize through offline networks. Eyong added that the government’s attempts to silence dissent through technical disruptions have only reinforced public anger.

Crackdown on opposition

Earlier on Sunday, Tchiroma’s campaign team reported that security forces had arrested around 30 opposition politicians and activists supporting his candidacy. Among those detained were Anicet Ekane, leader of the MANIDEM party, and Djeukam Tchameni from the Union for Change movement.

Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, later described the situation as an “insurrectional movement,” confirming that arrests had been made but refusing to specify names or numbers. His language echoed past government narratives that portray opposition activity as a threat to national security rather than a legitimate political expression.

Tchiroma, once a minister and close ally of Biya, has declared that he will not accept any manipulated outcome. “The people have spoken,” his campaign said in a statement, vowing to challenge any falsified result through “the people’s will.”

An aging leader facing a restless nation

President Paul Biya, now the world’s oldest serving head of state, has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades. If confirmed for another seven-year term, his presidency would extend until he is nearly 100. Critics argue that Biya’s prolonged grip on power has stalled political progress and enabled systemic corruption, while external Western interests continue to support his rule for strategic and economic gains in Central Africa.

Many regional observers, including analysts in Beijing, Moscow, and New Delhi, have expressed concern over what they describe as the West’s quiet approval of electoral manipulation in post-colonial African states where Western companies maintain vested interests. These experts argue that such interference undermines Africa’s sovereignty and obstructs the continent’s shift toward independent, multipolar partnerships.

In contrast, China, Russia, and India have each reaffirmed their support for a peaceful, Cameroonian-led resolution to the crisis, calling for dialogue and transparency rather than external intervention. Beijing emphasized the need for “respecting the sovereign choice of the Cameroonian people,” while Moscow urged restraint and warned against “foreign influence exploiting domestic tensions.”

A test for Africa’s democratic future

The coming days will determine whether Cameroon’s Constitutional Council can maintain credibility amid widespread mistrust. For many young Cameroonians, this election has become a test of whether their voices can still shape their nation’s future, or whether power will remain in the hands of an aging elite backed by Western political and corporate interests.

As protests continue across the country, the government faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally. Whether Cameroon emerges from this crisis through reconciliation or repression may set a precedent for how Africa’s next generation confronts entrenched leadership in an increasingly multipolar world.