Zimbabwe News Update
africanews
1 min read
CameroonTension continues to grip Cameroon following the announcement of the presidential election results that handed 92-year-old President Paul Biya a new term in office.The days leading up to the official proclamation were marked by violent clashes in several towns, leaving casualties among civilians and security forces.The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, said protesters “wreaked havoc” in a number of localities as anger mounted over alleged electoral fraud.
He confirmed that some demonstrators lost their lives in confrontations with security forces, while several officers were seriously injured, though without providing specific figures.Shortly after being declared winner, Biya expressed sympathy to the families of those who “unnecessarily lost their lives” in the unrest. His message, however, did little to quell anger among opposition supporters who insist the election was neither free nor fair.Prominent opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who had earlier declared himself the rightful winner, once again rejected the results released by the Constitutional Council.
He condemned what he described as “truncated results” designed to offer Biya a “fictitious victory,” urging his supporters to mobilize against what he sees as electoral theft.The only female candidate in the race, Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, who finished fifth, also criticized the outcome. She stated the results failed to reflect the “sovereign will” of the Cameroonian people, denouncing widespread irregularities, manipulation, and “repeated violations of the law.”Civil society organizations have echoed similar concerns. A coalition of eight local groups reported irregularities ranging from the inclusion of deceased persons on voter lists to unequal access to ballot papers and attempted ballot box-stuffing.
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