Cameroon’s longtime leader Paul Biya, world’s oldest president, declared winner in latest election

Cameroon's President Paul Biya, 92, the world's oldest head of state, has won the country's presidential election with 53.66 per cent of the vote, according to official results announced on Monday by the Constitutional Council.

"Hereby proclaimed President-elect: the candidate Biya Paul," said Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council.

Paul Biya, took office in 1982 and has held a tight grip on power ever since, doing away with the presidential term limit in 2008 and winning reelection by comfortable margins.

This year, his strongest challenge came from Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesperson and employment minister in his late 70s who broke ranks with Biya earlier this year and mounted a campaign that drew large crowds and endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.

At least four killed in protests

Earlier on Sunday, protests erupted in Cameroon's economic capital Douala and other towns against Biya’s government over alleged presidential election fraud. Local media reported that at least four people were killed in the cities of Douala and Ngaoundere during clashes with security forces.

Photos and footage widely shared on social media showed protesters demanding the departure of Biya, 92, who has ruled the Central African country for over four decades.

Chanting "We want Tchiroma. Respect the truth of the ballot box,” the protestors called on the government to “recognise the victory of Issa Tchiroma Bakary,” an opposition candidate who claims he won the country’s presidential election held on Oct. 12.

Videos on social media showed protestors burning tyres and effigies of President Biya on barricaded roads.

Tchiroma claimed a “landslide victory” two days after the polls and appealed to Biya to concede. But the governing party and the election body dismissed the claims.

He called Sunday’s protests against the Biya government, further heightening post-election tensions.

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Source: TRT