Cameroon Sets February 7 for Legislative, Local Elections

Cameroonian President Paul Biya has scheduled legislative and local elections for February 7, marking the country’s first major polls since his disputed re-election last year.

The 93-year-old leader announced the election date in a decree read on public radio on Monday. The polls have been postponed twice.

Biya has governed Cameroon since 1982, but his re-election in last year’s presidential election was rejected by opposition groups, triggering protests that security forces violently suppressed.

The forthcoming elections are expected to take place in a tense political climate, with opposition parties facing restrictions and the country’s leadership yet to implement several long-awaited changes.

The government is also yet to carry out a cabinet reshuffle announced nearly a year ago or appoint a vice president. The position was restored through a constitutional amendment in April, with its holder expected to succeed Biya if he dies in office.

Biya’s frequent overseas trips have also raised questions about his health and capacity to govern. His return to Yaounde at the end of August, following more than two months in Geneva, Switzerland, drew criticism from opposition figures.

Last month, the authorities suspended the Cameroon National Salvation Front (FSNC), the party of opposition presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who lost the presidential election.

Bakary went into exile in the Gambia after declaring himself the winner of the election, and calling on supporters to defend his “victory”, triggering protests.