Cameroon Suspends Opposition Party for Three Months

Cameroon has suspended the opposition Cameroon National Salvation Front (FSNC) for three months, accusing the party of inciting insurrection and disturbing public order, the territorial administration ministry announced on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the Territorial Administration Ministry, the alleged offences occurred “before, during and after the presidential election of October 12, 2025.”

The specific acts listed in the order include “incitement to insurrection,” “undermining territorial integrity, national unity, and national sovereignty,” and “incitement to violence resulting in the destruction of public and private property.”

The government also cited “serious disturbances to public order” and the “residence of one of its statutory leaders abroad,” referring to the party’s exiled leader, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

The order notes that the decision was made considering ongoing legal proceedings and convictions, particularly by the Yaoundé Military Court on October 8, 2026, against those involved in the election-related violence.

Under the decree, all FSNC activities are prohibited during the three-month period, and violators will face prosecution.

Regional Governors, Prefects, and Sub-Prefects are tasked with implementing the order, which will be published in the Official Gazette in both French and English.

The formal order followed an official statement announcing the sanction, which warned the party could face a legal challenge or outright dissolution if it did not accept the penalty.

The suspension takes effect ahead of local and parliamentary elections scheduled for early 2027.

The FSNC is led by Bakary, a former minister who currently lives in exile in The Gambia.

Bakary, who rallied young people seeking political change, contested the October 2025 presidential election, which was won by 93-year-old President Paul Biya. Biya has held power since 1982.

Following the vote, Bakary declared himself the winner and urged supporters to defend his “victory.”

The resulting protests in major cities were violently suppressed, leading to several deaths, though the government has not released an official toll.