Cameroon’s constitutional council has upheld the decision by the country’s electoral body to exclude opposition leader Maurice Kamto from the upcoming presidential election. Despite this, 92-year-old President Paul Biya has been cleared to run for what would be his eighth term in office. If re-elected, he could remain in power until almost 100 years old.
The exclusion of Kamto sparked outrage among his supporters, with his lawyers describing the rejection as a political move rather than a legal one. Out of the 83 candidates who submitted their applications, only 12 have been approved for the election.
The main contenders for the presidency include six candidates: Biya, Bello Bouba Maigari, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Cabral Libii, Akere Muna, and a few others. While Biya is widely considered the favourite to win, his past victories have been marred by allegations of vote rigging.
Biya’s eighth mandate has focused on the wellbeing of women and young people, but critics argue that his governance style is ‘suffocating’ and needs to be overhauled. The election is set to take place on 12 October, and only time will tell if Biya will secure another term in office.
Source: www.bbc.com
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