YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon (BN24) — Four people were killed in violent clashes between security forces and opposition supporters in Cameroon on Sunday, as tensions escalated ahead of the final election results. The unrest erupted following opposition leader Issa Tchiroma’s refusal to accept the preliminary election results and his call for protests.
Tchiroma, who contested President Paul Biya’s 43-year rule in the October 12 election, has claimed victory, alleging that he won 54.8% of the vote, compared to the 31.3% reported for Biya. However, many analysts expect Biya to be declared the winner in what critics argue is a flawed electoral process. The 92-year-old president has been in power since 1982.
Ahead of the final announcement of the results by the Constitutional Council on Monday, Tchiroma’s supporters took to the streets in cities across Cameroon to voice their opposition to the election outcome.
In Douala, the country’s largest city, security forces clashed with demonstrators after opposition supporters defied a nationwide ban on public gatherings. The regional governor reported that protesters attacked police stations and a gendarmerie brigade in two districts. In the aftermath, four people were confirmed dead, with several members of the security forces also injured.
At the scene, witnesses contradicted the official narrative, claiming that the violence began when security forces fired live ammunition after dispersing the crowd with tear gas. “The shooting started with live bullets,” one demonstrator said. “Three bodies fell in front of us.” These accounts of violence have raised questions about the government’s handling of the protests.
Earlier in the day, police in Garoua, Tchiroma’s northern stronghold, used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators. Despite the government’s ban on protests, supporters gathered with national flags and banners reading “Tchiroma 2025,” chanting slogans like “Goodbye Paul Biya, Tchiroma is coming.” The protests were part of a broader effort to pressure the government over what many believe was a rigged election.
Tchiroma, who has claimed to be the true winner of the election, has spent several days in Douala surrounded by his supporters. On Sunday, he released a video claiming that military personnel had attempted to force him out of his residence. The opposition leader also said that two figures from the coalition backing him were arrested in Douala on Friday.
In the capital, Yaoundé, police maintained a heavy presence, but the protest call did not appear to gain significant traction. Some reports suggested that the protests in the capital were smaller and more limited in scope, possibly due to increased security measures.
The government has repeatedly warned that the protests are contributing to what it calls an “insurrectionist project,” and could further destabilize the country. On Saturday, the Minister of Territorial Administration described the protests as a security threat, saying they risked plunging Cameroon into a crisis.
Amid the unrest, several regions of the country have experienced internet disruptions, which analysts believe are aimed at curbing the spread of information. Monitors have suggested that these disruptions could limit the ability of both local and international outlets to report on the events as they unfold.
The Constitutional Council is set to announce the final election results on Monday. While many expect Biya to retain the presidency, the ongoing protests highlight the deep political divisions and growing unrest in Cameroon. The violence and accusations of electoral fraud have raised international concerns about the legitimacy of the electoral process and the state of democracy in the country.
