Cameroon’s President Paul Biya on Monday was declared the winner of the country’s presidential election, securing 53.66 percent of the vote, the Constitutional Council announced Monday, results which his rival swiftly rejected. At 92, Biya is the world’s oldest leader. With his re-election, he can now govern until 2032.
The world’s oldest head of state, Paul Biya, extended his more than four-decade rule, securing an eighth term in Cameroon‘s presidential poll, the Constitutional Council announced Monday, results which his rival swiftly rejected.
Biya, 92, was re-elected with 53.7 percent of the vote in the central African country, according to official results announced by the council, while former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary came second with 35.2 percent.
Tchiroma quickly denounced the announcement of Biya’s win, telling AFP that “there was no election; it was rather a masquerade. We won unequivocally”.
Tchiroma had claimed victory against the incumbent two days after the October 12 election, and called for demonstrations.
A rally outside his home in the northern city of Garoua turned deadly, he told AFP Monday, adding that two protesters were killed while some 10 snipers were posted on rooftops.
An AFP reporter on the ground saw one man shot, but AFP could not verify whether he died.
On Sunday, four people were killed in clashes between security forces and supporters of the opposition in the economic capital Douala, according to the region’s governor.
Security forces initially used tear gas before firing “live ammunition”, protesters told AFP.
Voter turnout stood at 46.3 percent, according to the official results announced 15 days after the election.
Cabral Libii came in third place with 3.4 percent, followed by Bello Bouba Maigari with 2.5 percent, and Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, the only woman candidate, with 1.7 percent.
The other eight candidates each received less than one percent of the vote.
