Cameroon President Biya declared election victor; challenger protests | News

92-year-old incumbent reportedly secures 53.66 percent; opponent reports gunfire targeting supporters.

Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has declared that President Paul Biya, leader of the country since 1982, has won re-election in a vote accompanied by deadly violence.

The council announced on Monday that the 92-year-old incumbent had secured 53.66 percent of the vote in the October 12 election. Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma received 35.19 percent, it added.

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

Tchiroma, a former government spokesperson and minister in his late 70s, had claimed victory days before the announcement, citing results he said were collated by his party. Biya dismissed the claim.

On Sunday, at least four people were killed in Cameroon’s largest city, Douala, as security forces clashed with protesters demanding credible results.

After the results were announced, Tchiroma claimed in a post on Facebook that gunfire was being directed at civilians gathered outside his home in the northern city of Garoua.

Expected outcome

Biya has held a tight grip on power since coming into office 43 years ago, doing away with the presidential term limit in 2008 and winning re-election by comfortable margins since.

A new seven-year-term could keep the world’s longest-serving ruler in power until he is nearly 100 years old.

Desmond Ngala, head of Civic Watch Cameroon, told Al Jazeera ahead of the announcement that the outcome of the polls was “more or less expected” and that Biya would win.

He added that there are fears that the country could be “paralysed” if unrest continues.

Amid such forecasts, the delay in the vote counting process has raised the suspicions of the opposition.

Protesters have clashed with security forces over the past week after partial results reported by local media showed Biya was on course to win.

The unrest has spread to many cities including the capital Yaounde, with reports of at least 30 activists detained.

However, Biya and the ruling party have dismissed all claims of election interference.

Tchiroma, whose campaign drew large crowds and endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups, asserted in his social media post following the announcement that security forces had killed two more people as they fired at his supporters.

“Toll of their attack: two dead. I wonder what will be said this time?” he wrote.

“Shooting point-blank at your own brothers – I can’t help but wonder if you’re mercenaries. Kill me if you want, but I will liberate this country by any means necessary. What blatant impunity.”

There was no immediate comment from the authorities.