By Ollus Ndomu | July 15, 2025
Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya has confirmed he will stand for an eighth term this October, seeking to stretch his remarkable 43-year reign into a fifth decade, a move that has reignited the continent’s simmering debate over aging leaders who outlast generations but struggle to deliver progress.
“Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face,”
— President Paul Biya, announcing his candidacy on X
Biya’s declaration comes just weeks after two influential figures from Cameroon’s north — Issa Tchiroma Bakary and former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari — dramatically broke ranks, accusing the ruling coalition of eroding public trust and vowing to challenge the man they once fiercely defended.
A Fractured Base
The northern bloc has long been a reliable voting powerhouse for Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). Losing that loyalty could test the staying power of a president who has weathered military coups, a single-party era, and the reintroduction of multiparty politics.
“The regime has broken public trust,” Tchiroma declared after launching his own run for the presidency.
His statement captured the mood in a region where frustrations over marginalisation and poor governance have simmered for years.
“Forever Leaders” in Focus
Biya’s candidacy echoes an uncomfortable pattern on the continent: elderly incumbents clinging to power while services decline and youth populations grow restless. The president abolished term limits in 2008, removed rivals through patronage or force, and has never officially lost an election since 1982.
His last win in 2018, declared with a sweeping 71 percent of the vote, was mired in allegations of fraud and intimidation. This time, opposition challengers like Maurice Kamto, Akere Muna, Joshua Osih, and Cabral Libii say they are ready to push for change, but few believe they can dislodge Biya through the ballot box alone.
Age, Rumours and Resistance
Questions about Biya’s health have gained traction in recent years, fuelled by long absences from public view. In 2024, rumours of his death spread wildly online after a six-week disappearance. The presidency dismissed the reports as fake, but for many Cameroonians, the incident highlighted just how out of touch the country’s elite can be.
“Can a 92-year-old man really represent a nation where the median age is just 18?” asked one young voter in Douala, echoing the generational disconnect.
A Pivotal October?
For now, the CPDM machinery is rallying behind its standard bearer, pushing the line that Biya equals stability — a narrative that has delivered him victory for decades. But with cracks emerging in the coalition and a more organised opposition, the 2025 election could test just how far that old formula can stretch.
One thing is clear: as Cameroon inches toward another contentious vote, Biya’s eighth run will remain a defining symbol of Africa’s unresolved struggle with the legacy of “forever leaders” — and the continent’s young majority’s unyielding hope for genuine renewal.
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