Prominent Cameroonian opposition figure Maurice Kamto has filed an appeal with the country’s Constitutional Council, challenging his recent disqualification from the upcoming October 2025 presidential election.
Kamto, who finished second to longtime President Paul Biya in the 2018 election, was barred last week by the national electoral body Elecam. The commission cited a technicality, stating that Manidem, the party backing Kamto, had already submitted a different candidate for the race.
However, Kamto’s supporters have accused Elecam of applying a double standard, noting that several other parties have fielded multiple candidates without facing similar sanctions. The move has sparked accusations of political bias and sparked tensions ahead of what is expected to be a tightly contested election.
Kamto, a former justice minister and leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), is widely viewed as the most credible challenger to 92-year-old President Paul Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation since 1982, making him the world’s longest-serving head of state.
In a sign of growing concern, the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) has warned that the exclusion of opposition candidates could ignite public protests, particularly in the capital, Yaoundé.
The Constitutional Council is expected to issue a ruling on Kamto’s appeal in the coming days. The outcome will likely shape the political landscape ahead of what could be a defining election in Cameroon’s history.
