Cameroon’s tense post-election atmosphere intensified Tuesday as authorities announced the arrest of at least 20 people linked to protests challenging the October 12 presidential election. The detentions come just days before the Constitutional Council is expected to release official results, with both sides trading accusations of fraud and provocation.
In a statement Tuesday, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji confirmed that several demonstrators had been arrested in the northern city of Garoua, though he did not specify the total number. He said 20 of those detained would face military courts on charges of “insurrection and incitement to rebellion,” while others were transferred to the capital, Yaoundé, for further questioning.
“The government watches with concern acts of provocation and disorder carried out by some troublemakers,” Nji said, alleging that political figures were manipulating protesters for their own gain.
READ ALSO: Tensions rise in Cameroon as ruling party office torched amid disputed election
The unrest follows opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s declaration of victory last week, in which he urged longtime President Paul Biya, the 92-year-old leader who has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades to concede. Biya’s ruling party dismissed the claim and accused Tchiroma of seeking to “undermine the credibility of the electoral process.”
Despite public protests and online campaigns by Tchiroma’s supporters, analysts say Biya remains favored to retain power, given the fragmented opposition and the exclusion of some of his strongest challengers earlier in the race. Eleven candidates ultimately appeared on the ballot.
Reports of irregularities have fueled the tensions. Civil society observers cited issues such as relocated polling stations, incomplete voter lists that included deceased persons, and unequal distribution of ballot papers. The National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon described the election as marred by “several irregularities,” including attempted ballot stuffing.
Tchiroma, who once served as Biya’s government spokesperson and employment minister before breaking away earlier this year, has taken to Facebook to post what he claims are verified tallies from 18 administrative regions, representing 80% of the electorate. His posts have drawn both praise from supporters and ridicule from ruling-party loyalists who question the authenticity of the figures.
Tchiroma, now in his late 70s, emerged as the face of a broad opposition coalition during the campaign, attracting large crowds and promising democratic renewal.
READ ALSO: “Our victory is clear” – Tchiroma proclaims win in Cameroon’s presidential election
Biya, meanwhile, continues to preside over a country of nearly 30 million people burdened by economic inequality, corruption, and a separatist conflict in its western regions. As Cameroon awaits the final results due by October 26, tensions remain high, and the country faces yet another test of its fragile democracy.
