The 92-year-old president’s re-election has sparked deadly protests, which opponents say are “rigged”.
Published November 6, 2025
Cameroon’s longtime leader, Paul Biya, was sworn in for a new seven-year term following his victory in last month’s presidential election, in what opposition parties called a “constitutional coup.”
Addressing parliament on Thursday, the world’s oldest president pledged to remain true to the trust of Cameroon’s people and to work for a “united, stable and prosperous” country.
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Deadly protests erupted in several parts of Cameroon days after the Oct. 19 vote, in which former minister and leading candidate Issa Ciroma declared victory, followed by a three-day lockdown this week amid allegations of vote fraud.
The government confirmed at least five people were killed during the protests, but opposition groups and civil society groups say the number is much higher.
Africa’s second-longest-serving incumbent leader took the oath of office during a parliamentary session in Yaounde, a heavily militarized and partly deserted capital described as the capital.
Priscilla Ainbo, a 40-year-old seamstress from Yaounde, doesn’t think anything will change under Mr. Biya’s new term.
“I’m tired of Biya’s rule and I don’t care what he does anymore. It’s a shame. What will Cameroon be like in the next seven years? No roads, no water, no jobs,” she said.
Munja Vitalis Faga, a senior political lecturer at the University of Buea in Cameroon, told The Associated Press that Biya’s inauguration took place “in a tense but controlled political atmosphere characterized by deep rifts between the ruling elite and an increasingly disillusioned population.”
Faga added: “This ceremony comes amidst calls for political renewal, ongoing security challenges in the English-speaking world, and concerns about governance and succession.”
On October 27, Cameroon’s Supreme Court declared Mr. Biya the winner of the election, with 53.66% of the vote, over his ally-turned-challenger Chiroma, who secured 35.19%.
Chiroma claims that Biya won a “rigged” election victory.
“On that day, the will of the Cameroonian people was trampled and our sovereignty stolen in broad daylight,” Ciroma wrote on Wednesday night. “This is not democracy. It’s election theft and a shameful and blatant constitutional coup.”
Biya came to power in 1982 following the resignation of Cameroon’s first president and has ruled since 2008, when the country’s constitution was amended to remove term limits. His health has been a topic of speculation as he leaves the governance to senior party officials and family members and spends most of his time in Europe.
Mr. Biya has led Cameroon for longer than most people have been alive. More than 70% of the country’s approximately 30 million people are under the age of 35. If he completes his term, Mr. Biya will be nearly 100 years old when he retires.
The results of his nearly half-century in power were mixed. Armed rebellions in the north and west of the country and economic stagnation have left many young people disillusioned with their leaders.
