By YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Cameroon is experiencing low voter registration rates ahead of its 2025 presidential election, with opposition and civil society groups blaming the trend on skepticism about electoral integrity under longtime President Paul Biya’s administration.
Cameroon’s elections management body, ELECAM, reports that 7.9 million civilians have registered to vote ahead of the August 31 deadline set by electoral law. This figure represents barely 50% of qualified voters, according to estimates from opposition and civil society groups.
The country is preparing for presidential elections next year to conclude the current seven-year mandate. President Biya, who has been in power for over four decades, will determine the exact date of the polls.
Opposition parties, including the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) led by Maurice Kamto, have expressed concerns about potential electoral fraud. They cite the contested 2018 presidential election results, which they claim were marred by irregularities favoring Biya.
Tamfu Richard, a human rights lawyer and member of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR), emphasized the importance of youth participation. “Cameroon is at a crossroads where the current leader is of age and has been there for 42 years,” Richard said. “It is in the interest of Cameroonians to have a different face, somebody who is young at the helm.”
The opposition estimates there are close to 16 million potential voters in the country of about 30 million civilians. They are urging citizens to register, drawing comparisons to higher registration rates in neighboring countries like Chad and Senegal.
Emmanuel Neba, a 47-year-old merchant, expressed a common sentiment among reluctant voters: “We know that Paul Biya will still win the elections. In America, Joe Biden is 82 and he abandoned his candidacy to a younger person, but in Cameroon, Paul Biya, who is 91, wants to continue to be president forever.”
Government officials refute claims of planned electoral rigging and warn against what they term “increasing hate speech” ahead of the polls. Biya has not publicly announced whether he will run in the 2025 election, though supporters and government ministers have been organizing rallies calling for his candidacy.
The opposition and civil society groups are conducting grassroots campaigns to encourage voter registration before the deadline. They argue that high voter turnout and vigilance are crucial for ensuring electoral integrity.
As the registration deadline approaches, the situation underscores the complex political landscape in Cameroon and the challenges facing its democratic processes.
