Cameroon’s 92 year-old president Paul Biya has been declared by the Constitutional council as the winner of the heavily contested elections, maintaining the title of World’s longest serving head of state.
Rarely seen in public, Biya is known for spending stints outside Africa in Swiss hotels, and these long absences coupled with his advanced age led to rumors that he has died. This victory gives Biya the 8th term in office running up to 2032 and he will be close to 100 years old.
Biya came to power in 1982, elbowing aside his patron and predecessor Ahmadou Ahidjo, promising liberal reforms before entrenching his hold on the presidency.
Since one narrow election victory back in 1992, President Biya has shrugged off subsequent political challenges, helped perhaps by manipulation of the polls and certainly by the divisions among often tactically inept opponents.
This time Biya defied widespread calls to step down and has been criticised for only showing up for one campaign rally, where he promised voters that “the best is still to come”.
His election victories have been marred by allegations of vote-rigging – claims which his party and the government have continuously denied. Although 10 candidates ran for Cameroon’s top job, Biya, who has never lost an election, was considered an imminent winner.
This did not stop opposition candidate, and former minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary declaring himself the winner before the final results were announced. He and his supporters accuse the president of electoral fraud and gross irregularities. What’s more, growing frustrations triggered nationwide protests, which so far have killed at least four people, the authorities say.
The government said the protests were illegal, and the police went on to arrest several opposition leaders and activists.