Cameroon’s streets fell quiet on Tuesday as opposition forces called for a nationwide stay-at-home protest in response to President Paul Biya’s contested election win. The 92-year-old incumbent, the world’s oldest head of state, was declared winner of the Oct. 12 election, securing an eighth term in office. But opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary insists the result is fraudulent, urging citizens to resist through a three-day lockdown.
The call for civil disobedience resonated most strongly in opposition-held areas, including the bustling economic city of Douala and northern towns like Maroua and Garoua, where recent protests turned deadly. In the capital, Yaoundé, participation was patchier, with some businesses opting to operate despite the volatile atmosphere.
“Let us keep our shops closed, suspend our activities, remain at home in silence, to demonstrate our solidarity,” Tchiroma declared in a statement mobilizing the stay-at-home action.
READ ALSO: Cameroon opposition rejects election results as protests intensify across the country
Economic strain tightened its grip on cities where the lockdown took hold. Transport systems stalled, offices shuttered, and food prices spiked, AP reported. Amid the economic paralysis, grief and anger compounded for residents like Amadou Adji of Garoua, who supported the shutdown after losing his niece in the protests. “The lockdown is also a form of solidarity which we are showing to Tchiroma,” he said.
In Douala, food vendor Caroline Akuh described the toll on everyday life. “We are afraid to step out … we are tired of this,” she said. In Yaoundé, essential goods saw ballooning costs, with a 5-liter bucket of potatoes jumping from $3.50 to $8.78 in just days. “Prices have gone up in ways no one anticipated,” said resident Celestin Mimba.
The latest unrest follows series of demonstrations and forceful crackdowns. Authorities confirmed four deaths in Douala alone, while civil society group Stand Up For Cameroon disclosed at least 23 killed nationwide.
READ ALSO: Cameroon’s Paul Biya, world’s oldest head of state, wins reelection
Despite widespread anger, officials are pointing the blame squarely at the opposition, accusing them of stoking chaos and undermining national stability.
