When the Constitutional Council of Cameroon announced that President Paul Biya, at the age of 92, had secured victory for an unprecedented eighth term in office, the declaration triggered a mix of jubilation, disbelief, and deep anxiety across the Central African nation. The announcement, made amid heavy security presence in Yaoundé, marked another chapter in Biya’s 43-year-long rule—one that began in 1982 and now looks set to continue until 2032.
For some Cameroonians, the moment was predictable. For others, it represented the tragic entrenchment of a political dynasty that has turned the state into a symbol of autocracy and stagnation. Yet, to understand how Paul Biya—once dubbed the “Sphinx” for his mystery and calculated silence—managed to retain power for over four decades, one must examine the intricate blend of political control, fear, and manipulation that underpins Cameroon’s fragile democracy.
A Victory Announced Amid Deep Division
The results, announced late Monday night, declared Biya the winner with 71% of the vote, far ahead of his main challenger, Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), who reportedly garnered just 18%. Opposition parties immediately rejected the results, describing the election as “a charade orchestrated by the regime.”
Observers from both the African Union and international watchdogs raised concerns about the credibility of the process, citing irregularities ranging from intimidation of opposition supporters to restricted access for independent observers in the Anglophone regions, where separatist conflict continues to rage.
Yet, the Constitutional Council brushed off complaints of fraud and declared the process “free, fair, and reflective of the people’s will.” That declaration, like many before it, cemented Biya’s place as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders—a man who has outlasted generations of both allies and opponents.
The Iron Grip of a “Civilian Monarch”
Born in 1933, Paul Biya ascended to power in 1982 following the resignation of Ahmadou Ahidjo, Cameroon’s first president. At the time, Biya was seen as a technocrat—soft-spoken, Western-educated, and reform-minded. But within a few years, he transformed into a master of political survival, consolidating control through patronage networks, repressive security structures, and constitutional amendments that allowed him to extend his tenure indefinitely.
Today, Biya governs from the opulent Unity Palace in Yaoundé, often from behind closed doors. His rare public appearances—usually on national holidays or during state functions—have fueled speculation about his health. Yet, despite frequent rumors of his frailty or death, Biya continues to defy time and opposition, operating through a loyal circle of ministers, military chiefs, and bureaucrats who depend on his patronage for their survival.
Critics say Cameroon has become a textbook case of “gerontocratic rule,” where governance is sustained not by innovation or legitimacy but by inertia and fear. “Biya’s regime functions like a royal court,” says Emmanuel Njoya, a political scientist based in Douala. “Loyalty is rewarded, dissent is punished, and the people have been conditioned to accept stagnation as stability.”
Election Without Contest
The 2025 presidential election, though constitutionally open to multiple candidates, was in practice a tightly managed affair. Opposition figures faced harassment, arrests, and restrictions on rallies. Internet blackouts in several regions during the campaign period made it nearly impossible for dissenting voices to mobilize or share information.
In the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where separatist militias have been battling government forces since 2017, voter turnout was estimated to be below 10%. Many polling stations were reportedly deserted or destroyed. Residents told journalists that they feared being targeted by either the separatists, who oppose participation in “Biya’s elections,” or the security forces, who regard non-compliance as subversion.
“We wanted to vote, but who are we voting for?” asked a teacher in Bamenda, who requested anonymity. “The same man who has been president since my parents were children? We have no choice here.”
For opposition leader Maurice Kamto, who has been Biya’s most vocal challenger since 2018, the election was “a coronation, not a contest.” Kamto was detained briefly after organizing protests demanding transparency. His supporters were dispersed by police using tear gas, while the national broadcaster, CRTV, aired continuous footage of pro-Biya rallies.
A System Built to Endure
Cameroon’s political system is structured to ensure Biya’s dominance. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), which he leads, has maintained a parliamentary supermajority for decades. The judiciary, too, is widely seen as an extension of the executive branch, while the military’s upper ranks are tightly controlled by Biya loyalists.
Constitutional reforms in 2008 removed presidential term limits, effectively giving Biya the right to run indefinitely. At the time, massive protests erupted across major cities, but they were swiftly crushed by security forces, leaving dozens dead.
Since then, every election has followed a familiar pattern: opposition unity collapses before polling day, reports of fraud emerge afterward, and Biya is sworn in for another term amid muted international response.
“Cameroon is trapped in a cycle of managed democracy,” explains Roland Etoga, a journalist who has covered politics for over 20 years. “The opposition participates to avoid total exclusion, the international community observes to maintain diplomatic ties, and Biya wins to preserve the illusion of stability.”
The Price of Endless Rule
Beneath the calm surface of Biya’s longevity lies a nation in quiet turmoil. Cameroon’s economy, once one of the most diversified in Central Africa, has suffered from corruption, mismanagement, and insecurity. Youth unemployment remains above 35%, while inflation continues to erode wages.
In the north, Boko Haram insurgents still carry out sporadic attacks, displacing thousands. In the English-speaking regions, the conflict has killed over 6,000 people and forced more than 700,000 from their homes, according to humanitarian agencies.
Meanwhile, state institutions are increasingly paralyzed by patronage. “Ministers are afraid to make decisions without the president’s approval,” says a former senior civil servant. “It’s a system built around one man, and when that man slows down, the entire government slows down.”
At the international level, Biya has maintained strong ties with France, Cameroon’s former colonial power, and with China, whose loans and infrastructure investments have provided critical lifelines for the regime. Western governments, though often critical of Cameroon’s human rights record, have been reluctant to push too hard—citing the country’s strategic role in regional counterterrorism operations.
Growing Disillusionment Among the Youth
For Cameroon’s young population—over 60% of whom are under 30—the idea of change through the ballot box now feels increasingly distant. Many have never known another leader besides Biya.
“I was born under Biya, my father was born under Biya,” says 27-year-old activist Claudine Mbene in Yaoundé. “It feels like Cameroon belongs to him, not to us.”
Social media platforms have become a space for young people to vent frustration and mock the state’s inertia. Memes about Biya’s longevity—depicting him as “Africa’s Methuselah” or “President for Life”—circulate widely online, often followed by warnings from authorities about “spreading subversive content.”
Despite the risks, youth movements like Stand Up for Cameroon and Brigade Anti-Sardinards have continued to push for reform, though many of their leaders have been jailed or forced into exile.
A Legacy in Question
As Biya embarks on yet another term, analysts are asking what will happen when his reign eventually ends—either through resignation, death, or internal power struggle. The absence of a clear succession plan has long been a source of tension within the ruling party.
There are growing signs that some factions within the CPDM are already positioning themselves for a post-Biya era. Among them is Biya’s powerful chief of staff, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, who has become one of the most influential figures in government. Others point to Biya’s wife, First Lady Chantal Biya—whose flamboyant style and high-profile charity work have made her a cultural icon—as a potential power broker in the years ahead.
Still, few believe Biya will voluntarily relinquish control. “He sees himself as the only one capable of holding the country together,” says political analyst Agathe Mboua. “But the longer he stays, the weaker the institutions become. When he eventually leaves, the shock could be catastrophic.”
The Cost of Silence
Perhaps the most striking feature of Biya’s rule is his silence. He rarely grants interviews, seldom addresses the nation beyond pre-recorded speeches, and spends much of his time abroad, often in Switzerland, where he reportedly receives medical treatment.
This silence has come to define not only his leadership but the psyche of the nation itself—a society accustomed to waiting, watching, and surviving without expecting change.
As one elderly market trader in Yaoundé put it: “Biya is like the weather. You can’t change him; you can only live under him.”
The Verdict of History
With his latest victory, Paul Biya has cemented his place among the world’s longest-serving leaders—alongside Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville. Yet, while his reign may appear secure, it rests on a fragile foundation of fear, fatigue, and resignation.
In the end, Biya’s legacy will not be measured by the number of elections he wins, but by the institutions he leaves behind—or fails to leave. For now, Cameroon remains a country frozen in time, ruled by a man who has mastered the art of endurance but failed to deliver transformation.
As night fell on Yaoundé following the announcement, fireworks lit up the sky in orchestrated celebration. Yet behind the cheers lay an unmistakable truth: for millions of Cameroonians yearning for change, the dawn of a new era remains as distant as ever.
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