Cameroon's 92-year-old President Paul Biya announces bid for eighth term

Yaoundé [Cameroon], July 14 : Cameroon's 92-year-old president, Paul Biya, on Monday, officially declared his intention to run for an eighth term in the upcoming presidential election set for October 12 in the Central African country.

In a post on X, Biya, the oldest serving head of state in the world, made this announcement. In his statement, Biya stated that since taking office, he had dedicated himself to ensuring the safety and well-being of the citizens of the nation and that the outcomes were "palpable, visible and laudable".

He appreciated the support from the citizens of the country, noting that there was more to be done before announcing him as a candidate for the next election.

"Ensuring the security and well-being of the sons and daughters of our beloved and beautiful country is the sacred duty to which I have devoted my time and energy since assuming the helm of State. The results are palpable, visible and laudable. Thank you for the massive support you have continued to give me in this endeavour. However, much remains to be done. In the face of an increasingly difficult international environment, the challenges facing us are more and more pressing. In such a situation, I cannot shirk my mission. I have therefore decided to heed the numerous and insistent calls from the ten regions of our country and from the diaspora," the statement read.

"I am a candidate for the 12 October 2025 presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the serious challenges facing us. The well-being of our youth and women will be at the heart of my priorities. Together, there are no challenges we cannot meet. The best is still to come," Biya said.

As per Al Jazeera, Biya has been in power since 1982, and his health has often been questioned, especially after a 42-day absence from public view last year.

Though many expected him to run again, his candidacy was only confirmed through the recent posts.

Supporters from his Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) had been calling for him to seek re-election, but critics, including opposition parties and civil society groups, argue that his decades-long rule has hindered democratic progress and economic development, Al Jazeera reported.

Biya, who rarely appears in public and delegates heavily to his chief of staff, abolished term limits in 2008, allowing him to seek indefinite re-election, Al Jazeera reported.

He won the 2018 election with over 71 per cent of the vote amid accusations of fraud from the opposition.

As per Al Jazeera, Cameroon, which has only had two presidents since gaining independence in the 1960s, remains politically fragile. Several opposition candidatessuch as Maurice Kamto, Joshua Osih, Akere Muna, and Cabral Libiihave already announced their intention to run, demanding electoral reforms and challenging Biya's long tenure.

Cameroon continues to grapple with economic difficulties, violent separatist movements in its Anglophone regions, and threats from Boko Haram in the north, Al Jazeera reported.

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