How dictators like Cameroon’s Paul Biya maintain control and remain in power

Threats and violence

Any form of dissent would be thwarted either by threats or outright violence.  Dictators have used spies and other forms of surveillance to keep citizens ‘in check’.

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They would also put in place systems to intimidate people and create fear throughout the nation, making it easy for them to have their way.  One of the most popular ways of doing this is co-opting the military to do the leader’s bidding.

Under Biya, Cameroonian soldiers have reigned terror on the English-speaking section of the country.  Videos of soldiers killing women and children went viral raising concerns from locals and international stakeholders including human rights activists such as Amnesty International.