Opposition Leader Kamto Departs Douala After Heavy Police Surveillance
Cameroon’s main opposition figure, Maurice Kamto, has left the city of Douala following the end of a two-day police stakeout, just months before the country’s crucial 2025 presidential election Cameroon presidential hopeful.
Kamto, a former law professor and leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), had returned from France after a rally that angered supporters of President Paul Biya, who has ruled the Central African country for over 42 years. [BBC News]
CRM Meeting Blocked by Security Forces
On Sunday, police prevented the 71-year-old from leaving his apartment to attend a CRM meeting. Officials also restricted access to the party’s Douala office, declaring the meeting unauthorized—an assertion Kamto strongly denied, insisting authorities had been duly informed.
“As I speak, I’m still sequestered,” Kamto said to supporters on Sunday evening, urging them to return home “in calm and dignity.”
The standoff ended Monday when Kamto cancelled the meeting and departed for Yaoundé, the capital.
Tensions Grow Ahead of October 2025 Election
Kamto has declared his intention to challenge Biya in the upcoming presidential election. Biya, 92, has not yet announced whether he will run again. The president is one of the world’s oldest and longest-serving heads of state. [Paul Biya – Wikipedia]
Kamto was previously jailed for nine months after the 2018 election, following protests over alleged vote rigging in Biya’s favor. Although the government denied the allegations, rights groups condemned his detention as politically motivated. [Human Rights Watch]
Controversy Over “Protection” Offer
During a rally on May 31 in Paris, Kamto pledged to protect Biya and his family if elected, saying, “I have no time for hatred. I [only] have time to build Cameroon with you.”
This remark was met with scorn from Biya’s camp. Labour Minister Grégoire Owona mocked Kamto’s comment on Facebook: “What protection do they need? Cameroon is not in danger.”
Legal Hurdles and Allegations of Suppression
Kamto’s eligibility to run is now under scrutiny. Cameroonian electoral law requires that presidential candidates come from political parties with elected officials. The CRM had one senator in 2018 but currently holds no elected seats.
Kamto may alternatively run as an independent but must secure 300 endorsements from prominent figures nationwide. He remains undeterred, stating there is “no legal obstacle” to his candidacy. CRM spokesperson Guy Tassé accused the government of trying to block “the candidate they fear because he embodies real change.”
Cameroon’s Fragile Political Landscape
The country remains politically tense amid a separatist conflict in its English-speaking regions, where rebels seek independence. The near-decade-long insurgency has claimed over 6,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands. [Al Jazeera – Anglophone Crisis]
Adding to political instability, parliamentary elections scheduled for early 2025 have been postponed until 2026.
Conclusion
The recent police actions against Maurice Kamto and the CRM signal increasing pressure on the opposition as Cameroon approaches a critical electoral juncture. As the world’s attention shifts toward Cameroon’s October election, questions remain: Will Paul Biya run again? And will Kamto overcome the legal and political barriers to challenge him?
For continued updates on Cameroon’s 2025 election and other African political developments, follow our coverage here.
