Cameroon’s President Biya, 92, confirms eighth term bid ahead of October poll

Dar es Salaam. Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, currently the world’s oldest serving head of state at 92, has announced his candidacy for an eighth presidential term in the country’s upcoming elections scheduled for 12 October.

“I am a candidate in the presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face,” read a post on the president’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday.

Biya’s declaration ends months of speculation, despite widespread expectations that he would run again. The announcement, made via social media, mirrors his 2018 campaign launch — the first time he used a digital platform to engage the public directly.

In power since 1982 following the resignation of his predecessor Ahmadou Ahidjo, Biya is now seeking a term that would potentially see him remain in office into his late 90s. His long rule has drawn both loyal support and fierce criticism.

Since last year, senior figures within the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) and other loyalists have openly urged him to seek re-election. However, opposition parties and several civil society organisations argue that his continued leadership has hindered both democratic growth and economic reform.

Two of Biya’s former allies have broken away from the ruling coalition and declared their intention to contest the election independently.

Concerns over health and succession

Sunday’s announcement is expected to reignite debate over the president’s health and fitness to govern. He rarely appears in public and is known to delegate many responsibilities to his influential chief of staff. In October last year, Biya returned from a 42-day absence abroad, fuelling speculation about his wellbeing. The government insisted he was in good health and went so far as to ban public discourse on the matter, citing national security.

Biya controversially removed presidential term limits in 2008, allowing him to run indefinitely. He secured a disputed victory in the 2018 election with 71.28 percent of the vote — a result the opposition claimed was marred by irregularities.

Cameroon, a major cocoa and oil producer, has only known two presidents since gaining independence from France and Britain in the early 1960s. Analysts warn that a sudden power vacuum, should Biya become incapacitated, could spark a complex succession crisis.

Several opposition leaders have confirmed their candidacy, including 2018 runner-up Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front, prominent lawyer Akere Muna, and Cabral Libii of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation. All have criticised Biya’s lengthy rule and called for comprehensive electoral reforms to guarantee a fair contest in 2025.

Under Biya, the nation has grappled with multiple crises — from economic stagnation and entrenched corruption to a protracted separatist conflict in its English-speaking regions and continued attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in the north.