In a move that has sent political shockwaves across Cameroon, the country’s electoral authority, Elecam, announced on Saturday that opposition leader Maurice Kamto has been disqualified from contesting the 2025 presidential elections.
Meanwhile, incumbent President Paul Biya, now 93, has been officially cleared to seek an unprecedented eighth consecutive term in office.
The announcement follows the publication of the final list of candidates by the Electoral Council for the upcoming presidential poll scheduled for October 12, 2025. Of the 83 individuals who submitted applications, only 13 were approved.
A staggering 70 were rejected, with Kamto’s exclusion standing out as the day’s most dramatic twist.
Kamto, widely regarded as the most formidable challenger to Biya’s decades-long rule, had been expected to galvanize a strong opposition front. His rejection from the race has already triggered strong reactions across the political spectrum and is likely to spark legal and popular responses in the days ahead.
Alongside Biya, other confirmed candidates include Cabral Libii, Serge Espoir Matomba, and Akere Muna—figures who have contested previous elections but have yet to unseat the ruling party’s grip on power.
Ndam Njoya has made history as the only woman among the approved presidential contenders, offering a rare voice of female representation in the country’s highest political race.
Disqualified candidates have been given a narrow window of opportunity to contest the Electoral Council’s decisions by filing appeals before the Constitutional Council.
However, many analysts suggest the chances of reinstatement through legal channels remain slim.
With Biya once again poised to extend his 42-year rule, and Kamto’s disqualification raising fresh questions about electoral transparency, Cameroon’s 2025 presidential race is already shaping up to be one of the most contentious in its post-independence history.
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