Four Killed in Cameroon Election Unrest as Disputed Results Await Declaration

Authorities in Cameroon have confirmed that at least four people were killed during protests in the commercial capital, Douala, as the country awaits the official announcement of highly contested presidential election results.

Governor Samuel Dieudonné Diboua said several police stations were attacked, forcing security forces to respond during violent confrontations with demonstrators.

Hundreds of supporters of opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary defied a nationwide ban on public gatherings and rallied across major cities, accusing the ruling party of attempting to rig the vote. Protests erupted as the Constitutional Council prepares to release the final tally from the 12 October poll.

Tchiroma Bakary has declared victory, claiming he earned 55 percent of the vote based on results gathered from polling stations covering 80 percent of ballots cast. If validated, the outcome would unseat President Paul Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation for 43 years and is seeking another term at the age of 92.

The ruling CPDM party has dismissed the opposition claims as unfounded, insisting that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to announce the official results.

Escalating Violence

Initially peaceful demonstrations escalated rapidly. In Garoua, Tchiroma Bakary’s northern hometown and political stronghold, police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse crowds. Protesters waved banners demanding transparency, including one that read: “We are not here to cause chaos. We are here to demand the truth.”

Another banner made a plea to the international community, calling on United States President Donald Trump to intervene.

In Douala, protesters chanted “We want Tchiroma!” as plumes of smoke rose from burning barricades. Several security officers were reported injured, and authorities warned that those responsible for “deliberate acts of violence” would face prosecution. “It is regrettable that four people have lost their lives,” Governor Diboua said, confirming that investigations into the deaths are ongoing.

Government Tightens Controls

A nationwide ban on public gatherings will remain in place until Monday, when the Constitutional Council is expected to deliver its ruling. Judges have already rejected eight petitions alleging widespread electoral fraud, citing a lack of credible evidence.

While opposition supporters accuse authorities of ballot stuffing and vote manipulation in favour of the CPDM, Tchiroma Bakary declined to file his own legal challenge. He argues that the council is “politically compromised,” with its members appointed by President Biya.

He has instead proclaimed himself the “legitimate president” of Cameroon and urged supporters at home and abroad to continue peaceful resistance, which he describes as part of the “liberation of Cameroon.”

A Politician Who Broke Away from Power

Tchiroma Bakary, 76, is a former communications minister who previously served loyally under President Biya, even defending controversial military operations against Boko Haram in the Far North region. His dramatic split from the ruling establishment came in June when he resigned and launched his presidential campaign.

Earlier in his political life, he spent six years in prison after being accused of involvement in a failed 1984 coup against Biya. Despite never being convicted, he emerged as a figure both shaped by and opposed to Cameroon’s longstanding political order.

Nation on Edge

Cameroonians are watching events unfold with growing concern. Analysts warn that the crisis threatens to further destabilize a country already dealing with separatist conflict in its Anglophone regions and persistent insecurity in the north.

The streets remain heavily guarded as the nation waits, anxious and divided, for a decision that could redefine the political future of Cameroon.