In brief
In the wake of Cameroon’s recent election, where President Paul Biya secured another term, opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary faces charges related to violent protests. At least four protesters have died as clashes erupted between security forces and demonstrators. The Interior Minister accused Bakary of organizing illegal protests, prompting fears of escalating political tension in the country.
Cameroon's Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji has announced that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action due to allegations of inciting violent post-election demonstrations.
Since the presidential election on October 12, which saw 92-year-old President Paul Biya win an eighth consecutive term, at least four protesters have lost their lives in confrontations between security forces and opposition supporters.
Tchiroma Bakary claims he won the election, a statement rejected by Biya's ruling party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Violence during protests has raised alarms from the international community, prompting the UN, African Union, and EU to urge restraint.
On Tuesday, Nji accused Tchiroma Bakary of orchestrating illegal protests that resulted in fatalities, also suggesting that those who aided him in this alleged insurrectionary plan would be prosecuted.
According to the Constitutional Council, Biya garnered 53.7% of the vote, while Tchiroma Bakary received 35.2%.
Tchiroma Bakary has yet to respond to the government's plans to prosecute him, but he previously stated he would not accept a stolen vote and was unafraid of arrest.
On the day of the election results, he alleged that armed individuals opened fire on protesters outside his residence in Garoua, resulting in at least two civilian fatalities.
The Interior Minister confirmed that an investigation would be initiated regarding the violent incidents around the election announcement, acknowledging that some involved in the protest resorted to violence.
Despite Nji's claims that the situation is now under control, protests persist in various regions, especially in Douala and Garoua, where demonstrators established roadblocks and burned tires on the streets.
Experts caution that ongoing post-electoral violence could lead Cameroon into a deeper political crisis.
