Gambia has acknowledged that it is sheltering Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary after the disputed election in Cameroon renewed tensions and sparked deadly demonstrations over President Paul Biya’s eighth-term victory.
According to a statement released Sunday by Gambia’s Ministry of Information, Tchiroma entered the country on November 7 and is being accommodated “purely on humanitarian grounds” and for “the purpose of ensuring his safety.” The ministry noted that Banjul is consulting with regional partners, including Nigeria, as it tries to “support a peaceful and negotiated outcome” to the political unrest in Cameroon.
Tchiroma’s spokesperson, Alice Nkom, also confirmed in a separate statement that the opposition leader is now in Gambia.
The turmoil comes after the October 12 election, which extended Biya’s decades-long rule and ignited a fierce dispute over the legitimacy of the result. Tchiroma insists he won the election and has urged Cameroonians to reject the official tally, setting up a bitter political confrontation with the government.
Authorities in Yaounde have responded by accusing him of instigating disorder and have announced plans to pursue legal action for his “repeated calls for insurrection.”
Violence broke out shortly after the results were declared, with major opposition centers such as Douala and northern cities including Maroua and Garoua reporting intense clashes. Government figures say 16 people were killed, but opposition members and rights groups claim the death toll exceeds 55.
Biya, who first assumed office in 1982 after the resignation of Cameroon’s founding president, has ruled continuously ever since, aided by a constitutional change that removed term limits. At 92, he is the world’s oldest president. His rare public appearances and lengthy stays in Europe have continued to fuel speculation about his health, while senior party figures and relatives play a significant role in day-to-day governance.
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