Cameroon’s constitutional court has cleared the path for President Paul Biya to pursue an unprecedented eighth term in office this October. The ruling on Friday dismissed a challenge seeking to disqualify the 92-year-old leader, the world’s oldest president, from the ballot.
Biya, who has ruled for nearly 43 years, is campaigning for another seven-year mandate, though concerns about his health dominate public debate. The petition, brought by Akere Muna of the Universe party, argued that Biya’s advanced age and frailty made him unfit to govern.
After two hours of legal argument and a closed-door session, court president Clement Atangana declared the case unfounded and dismissed it. Muna, a lawyer and prominent anti-corruption figure, accepted the verdict but warned that the country still faces questions about Biya’s capacity.
“President Biya reigns but he doesn’t govern,” he remarked, alleging that the leader depends heavily on advisers and his wife to rule. Opposition voices remain fragmented and weak, struggling to mount a united challenge against Biya’s entrenched system of power and patronage.
Rights groups accuse the president of silencing political rivals, curbing dissent, and preserving authority through a mixture of loyalty and repression. As the October 12 election nears, Biya’s candidacy has become a symbol of Cameroon’s struggle between democratic renewal and decades-long inertia.
