Cameroon Opposition Leader Maurice Kamto Barred From Presidential Election

Maurice Kamto, the main opposition leader and key challenger to President Paul Biya in Cameroon, has been excluded from the list of candidates allowed to run in the October 12 presidential election by the country's electoral body, Elecam. Kamto's disqualification stems from an internal dispute within his party, Manidem, where two rival factions submitted conflicting nominations, leading Elecam to reject both to avoid partiality. Additionally, Kamto's acceptance of a nomination from the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, which is no longer eligible to field candidates, was cited as a legal reason for his exclusion. Kamto, who came second in the 2018 election and alleged fraud at that time, has the right to appeal the decision to the Constitutional Council. Meanwhile, President Paul Biya, Africa's second-longest-serving head of state and the world's oldest president at 92, has been cleared to run for an unprecedented eighth term. Kamto’s supporters have condemned the exclusion as arbitrary and provocative, urging calm while preparing to seek legal recourse.