Faith Nyasuguta
At 92, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya – the world’s oldest serving head of state – has declared he will run for re-election in the country’s upcoming presidential polls on October 12, 2025. Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation since 1982, announced his controversial bid for an eighth term through a statement on his official X account on Sunday.
“Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face,” Biya wrote, adding that his decision follows “numerous and insistent calls” from Cameroonians at home and abroad urging him to stay in power.
Biya rose to the presidency over four decades ago after the surprise resignation of Cameroon’s first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo. In 2008, Biya pushed through constitutional changes that abolished presidential term limits, cementing his grip on power indefinitely. He last won re-election in 2018 with more than 71% of the vote – a result the opposition widely denounced as fraudulent.
Supporters argue Biya has kept Cameroon relatively stable in a volatile region. However, critics say his iron-fisted rule has come at a heavy cost, stifling democracy, limiting civil liberties, and undermining economic progress. His administration has been repeatedly accused of corruption, mismanagement and failing to tackle mounting security threats, including the insurgency in the Anglophone regions and Boko Haram attacks in the Far North.
Biya’s advanced age and visible frailty have intensified concerns about his ability to lead. Last year, he disappeared from the public eye for 42 days, sparking rumors about his health. When he finally resurfaced in October, his government insisted he was in good health but labeled any talk of his condition a “national security matter,” banning further public debate.
Despite rarely making public appearances, Biya remains firmly in control of the country’s political machinery, reportedly delegating many daily tasks to his powerful chief of staff. His re-election bid is likely to fuel heated debate in Cameroon and abroad about the prospects for genuine democratic transition in one of Africa’s longest-running presidencies.
As Biya seeks to extend his decades-long rule, opposition leaders are gearing up for a tough battle at the ballot box. Notable challengers include Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), who came second in the 2018 election, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, prominent lawyer and anti-corruption crusader Akere Muna and Cabral Libii of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN).
With the election just three months away, Cameroonians now face a familiar yet deeply divisive question: should Biya’s reign continue into a fifth decade, or is it finally time for change?
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