Paul Biya, the 92-year-old president of Cameroon, has won 53.7% of the vote, securing an eighth term in office. The Constitutional Council released the official results on Monday, confirming his victory.
Rival candidate and former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary came second with 35.2%. Two days after the October 12 election, Tchiroma declared victory, claiming he defeated Biya.
Authorities reported that four people died in earlier clashes between security forces and supporters of an opposition leader who also claimed to have won the Paul Biya Cameroon election.
Despite a ban on public gatherings, Tchiroma urged his supporters to march peacefully on the eve of the announcement. His supporters insisted he earned 54.8% of the vote, while Biya received 31.3%. Protesters have been on the streets since last week to defend what they call their rightful victory.
However, many analysts predicted Biya’s win, describing Cameroon’s political system as increasingly corrupt. The regional governor of Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, said protesters attacked police stations and a gendarmerie brigade on Sunday.
Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, has ruled Cameroon for 43 years. Critics say he has retained power through repression, manipulating elections, and silencing political opposition. Since Cameroon’s independence from France in 1960, Biya has been only the country’s second president.
