Yaoundé, Cameroon – October 6, 2025: Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya, Africa’s longest-serving leader, is facing rare public and internal calls to step down as he pushes ahead with his controversial bid for an eighth term in office.
Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation since 1982, confirmed in July that he would seek re-election in the upcoming October 12 polls, declaring that he was responding to “numerous and insistent calls” to continue leading the nation. But as the campaign season unfolds, his announcement has triggered widespread unease and an unusual wave of dissent from within political, religious, and even family circles.
Cracks Within the Circle of Power
While Biya has long been accustomed to political loyalty and public deference, this election season has exposed growing fractures in his once-unshakable system of control.
The first open criticism came late last year from Archbishop Samuel Kleda, one of the country’s most influential religious figures, who told French radio that it was “not realistic” for Biya to continue governing at his age. The comments from the Catholic Archbishop—often a cautious moral voice in Cameroon’s politics—were seen as a sign of shifting sentiment within sections of the establishment.
Weeks later, two senior cabinet members from the country’s northern regions—an area long considered a political stronghold for Biya’s ruling party—resigned from their posts. Their defections, citing concerns about the president’s health and fitness to rule, were a rare act of defiance in a system known for punishing dissent.
The shock intensified when Biya’s 27-year-old daughter, Brenda Biya, publicly urged Cameroonians to vote her father out of office in a TikTok video that went viral in July. “My father has made too many people suffer,” she said in the video, which has since been viewed millions of times. Although she later retracted the statement, her words struck a chord with many young Cameroonians frustrated by decades of economic hardship and limited political freedom.
Entrenched Power and a Fragile Opposition
Despite his age and health concerns, Paul Biya remains one of Africa’s most resilient and enduring political figures. Analysts say his survival in power for over four decades has been built on a carefully maintained system of patronage, loyalty within the military, weak democratic institutions, and a deeply fragmented opposition.
“The president has managed to enforce loyalty to him and to the system,” observed Arrey Ntui, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. “Very few people in the ruling elite are willing to put their heads above the parapet to challenge him.”
Biya’s control over the security apparatus has been a central pillar of his power. Over the years, he has cultivated close relationships with senior military officials who view his leadership as a guarantee of stability. This alliance, analysts say, makes it extremely difficult for reform-minded politicians to mobilize against him.
Speculation about Biya’s health has persisted for years, with his prolonged absences from public events fuelling rumours about his frailty. Last year, he disappeared from public view for 42 consecutive days, prompting speculation that he was receiving treatment abroad. The government dismissed such reports as “pure fantasy” and even imposed restrictions on public discussions about the president’s health. Nonetheless, questions remain about his capacity to endure another seven-year term.
A History of Political Longevity
Paul Biya’s political longevity is unmatched on the African continent. Since assuming power in 1982 following the resignation of his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo, Biya has navigated multiple political crises that could have ended most presidencies.
He survived a coup attempt in 1984, narrowly won Cameroon’s first multi-party elections in 1992, and consolidated power through constitutional reforms in 2008 that abolished presidential term limits. His subsequent victories in 2011 and 2018 were widely criticized by opposition groups and international observers, who cited allegations of vote rigging, intimidation, and suppression of dissent.
Despite these controversies, Biya has maintained an image of continuity and control, presenting himself as a guarantor of peace in a region plagued by insurgency and instability. Yet, many Cameroonians say peace has come at the cost of political freedom and economic opportunity.
Mounting Economic and Social Frustration
Beyond politics, ordinary citizens continue to grapple with daily hardships. Cameroon’s economy, once among the most promising in Central Africa, is struggling under the weight of corruption, mismanagement, and limited infrastructure development.
Frequent power outages, deteriorating road networks, and inadequate waste management have fuelled public frustration. Unemployment among young people remains stubbornly high, driving many to emigrate in search of better prospects.
“People are losing hope,” said Raoul Sumo Tayo, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies. “When you take a taxi in Cameroon, you don’t know who exactly is the driver — people are afraid to speak because criticism of the government can bring trouble. Fear has become part of daily life.”
This climate of fear has long worked in Biya’s favour, discouraging open opposition. However, as the election nears, political observers say a new generation of activists—energized by social media and global awareness—is beginning to test the boundaries of that silence.
Contested Election and Credibility Concerns
The credibility of this year’s election has already been questioned by rights organizations. In July, a court barred Maurice Kamto, Biya’s main challenger and leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, from contesting. The court ruled that Kamto’s party had already endorsed another candidate, a decision Human Rights Watch described as “politically motivated” and one that “raises serious concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.”
Kamto, who finished second in the disputed 2018 elections, was arrested in 2019 after leading protests challenging Biya’s victory. He was charged with insurrection before a military court but later released following international pressure. His disqualification this year, analysts say, leaves the opposition weaker and divided ahead of the October polls.
A Nation at a Crossroads
As Cameroonians prepare to head to the polls, the mood across the country is one of uncertainty. Many view the election not as a contest of ideas but as another test of Biya’s enduring political machinery and the resilience of the system he has built over four decades.
For some, Biya’s continued presence symbolizes stability in a region facing terrorist threats in the Far North and separatist violence in the Anglophone regions. For others, it represents stagnation and a refusal to embrace democratic transition.
What remains clear is that the 92-year-old leader’s grip on power has become both the defining feature of Cameroon’s modern history and its greatest obstacle to renewal.
Whether Biya wins another term or succumbs to the mounting calls for change, this election will mark a defining moment for a nation struggling to balance tradition, loyalty, and the growing demand for generational transformation.
By Africa Live News Staff Writer
