Biya, 92, is sworn in for his eighth term and promises to bring order back to Cameroon
Paul Biya of Cameroon promises unity and stability following violent post-election protests that resulted in hundreds of arrests and many fatalities around the country.
After weeks of post-election turmoil, Cameroon’s 92-year-old president Paul Biya was sworn in for a historic eighth term in power with the pledge to bring peace back.
The oldest-serving president in history, Biya, vowed to stabilize the nation and denounced “irresponsible politicians” for instigating unrest in his inauguration speech to parliament in Yaoundé. He said it was “pointless to plunge the country into crisis,” but he could guarantee that order would prevail.
Following the announcement of the contested election results, violent protests broke out, resulting in at least 14 fatalities and over 1,200 arrests, according to the National Human Rights Commission. Higher numbers have been reported by other organizations.
Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the opposition candidate, received 35 percent of the vote, whereas Biya, who initially took office in 1982, officially received 54 percent. Rejecting the findings, Tchiroma Bakary claimed he was the legitimate victor and accused the authorities of electoral fraud, which the government has refuted.
In response to the dispute, Biya called the election “satisfactory” and commended Elecam, the nation’s electoral organization, for how it handled the vote. He did not respond to criticism of the disproportionate use of force, but he did commend the security personnel for keeping the protesters under control.
Biya called for peace and asked people to put the election behind them and concentrate on creating a “united, stable, and prosperous” country. In addition, he reaffirmed his commitment to combating corruption and addressing insecurity while pledging to give priority to issues impacting women and youth.
Tchiroma Bakary called for a general strike in his strongholds of Garoua and Douala, which coincided with the swearing-in event. He called on international powers to censure Cameroonian officials for the post-election crackdown and pledged to “resist until his victory is recognized.”
Eight petitions regarding the election were dismissed by judges at the Constitutional Council, who cited a lack of jurisdiction or insufficient evidence to void the results.
Since taking over from President Ahmadou Ahidjo more than 40 years ago, Biya has been accused by his detractors of governing the Central African country with an iron grip. As concerns about Cameroon’s democratic future continue, his reelection prolongs one of the longest presidencies in history.
