Maurice Kamto, the main challenger to President Paul Biya, has been officially barred from contesting Cameroon’s October 12, 2025 presidential election, in a decision announced by the Electoral Council (ELECAM) on July 26 in Yaoundé.
The ruling, tied to a bitter leadership dispute within the MANIDEM party, has sent shockwaves through the country’s political landscape, reshaping the race and leaving the opposition fractured.
The rejection stems from a dispute over dual candidacies within MANIDEM. Kamto’s camp and that of Dieudonné Yebga each claimed to represent the party, plunging ELECAM’s 18-member council into a tense, closed-door deliberation. “The discussions were friendly, but the legal issue was complex,” said one participant. ELECAM declined to resolve the legitimacy question, instead referring the matter to the courts.
Suspicion deepened when the name of Anicet Ekane, the party’s official president according to ELECAM records, was removed from the Ministry of Territorial Administration’s website just hours before candidate files were reviewed. The unexplained disappearance has fueled claims of political interference.
The government has tightened security in anticipation of unrest. On July 25, major roads in Yaoundé and Douala were cordoned off, while the presidency, through Secretary General Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, instructed regional governors to coordinate law enforcement. Security forces, including plainclothes agents, have been deployed around MRC headquarters in Yaoundé and MANIDEM’s offices in Douala, where Ekane has been barred from addressing the press.
Kamto, denouncing what he calls “a plot,” has vowed to fight the decision through the courts. Rejected candidates, including Kamto and rival Yebga, have 72 hours to appeal to the Constitutional Council. “We urge our supporters to remain calm,” Ekane said, stressing the need to avoid unrest that could undermine their legal efforts.
The controversy comes amid claims of bias after ELECAM’s final list of 13 approved candidates leaked on July 24. Most rejections—three-quarters—were for failure to pay the 30 million CFA franc deposit, eliminating figures like Chantal Adélaïde Tagne Membouet and several UPC candidates.
Kamto’s exclusion leaves Paul Biya facing a weakened and divided opposition, raising questions over whether the Constitutional Council will intervene to restore Kamto’s candidacy and rebalance the presidential race.
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