The United Nations has raised the alarm on Cameroon’s deteriorating electoral environment ahead of the October 12 presidential elections.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk expressed grave concerns that mounting government restrictions could prevent voters from exercising their democratic right to freely choose their preferred candidate.
President Paul Biya, currently the world’s oldest head of state at 92 years old, is seeking another seven-year presidential term that would extend his remarkable 43-year grip on power.
This unprecedented longevity in office has positioned Cameroon as a case study in entrenched political leadership across Africa’s democratic landscape.
Last month’s arrest of 53 opposition supporters on charges including public disorder, unlawful assembly, rebellion, and incitement to revolt exemplifies the UN’s concerns about political space restrictions.
While these supporters have since been released, Turk emphasized that “they simply should not have been arrested in the first place” for exercising fundamental democratic rights.
The UN’s assessment reveals that Cameroon lacks the “safe and enabling human rights environment” essential for credible democratic elections.
This evaluation suggests that international observers question whether the upcoming election can meet basic standards for free and transparent democratic processes in the current restrictive climate.
