Cameroon Opposition Leader Maurice Kamto Excluded From Presidential Election List

Cameroon's electoral commission has barred opposition leader Maurice Kamto from contesting the presidential election scheduled for 12 October, while incumbent President Paul Biya, 92, was approved to seek an eighth term. Out of 83 submitted candidacies, only 13 were accepted by the electoral body, Elecam.

Kamto, who finished second in the 2018 presidential election, was excluded after two candidates registered under the Manidem party, leading to a dispute over party representation. Although Kamto had been officially endorsed by Manidem's ruling body, a rival candidate from a splinter group also submitted a registration. Manidem president Anicet Ekane criticized the decision as "arbitrary and provocative," and called for calm, stating, "We call on all Cameroonians to show calm and restraint because for the moment, it is only an offside goal. This tackle from behind must be sanctioned by the Constitutional Council which we will turn to."

Disqualified candidates have two days to file a legal challenge. Kamto previously ran as the candidate for the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) in 2018, but the party was not eligible to endorse a candidate this year due to its lack of elected representatives. Kamto subsequently joined Manidem, which holds local representation.

President Biya, who has been in power for nearly 43 years, will face two former allies, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari, both from the country's north. Other approved candidates include anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, Social Democratic Front leader Joshua Osih, lawmaker Cabral Libii, and Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, the only female candidate.