Cameroon’s upcoming 2025 presidential election has taken a dramatic turn as Professor Maurice Kamto, widely seen as the leading challenger to President Paul Biya, has been disqualified from the race. The Electoral Commission (ELECAM) announced it had retained only 13 of the 83 submitted candidacies for the October 12 vote — Kamto’s name was not among them.
According to ELECAM’s Director General Erik Essousse, Kamto’s candidacy was rejected due to a “plurality of investiture.” The stems controversies from an internal dispute within MANIDEM, the Kamto party joined after resigning from the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC). While Kamto was endorsed by MANIDEM, another candidate, Dieudonné Yebga, also submitted a candidacy under the same party, leading ELECAM to invalidate both.
“This is a mafia-style operation,” Ekane said, alleging document tampering and administrative manipulation during the filing process. He also pointed to a suspicious last-minute change on the Ministry of Territorial Administration’s website, just before the deadline.
Ekane claimed to have audio recordings that expose a plot to invalidate specific candidacies, including Kamto’s.
Kamto’s camp is preparing to appeal the decision before the Constitutional Council. The political climate in Cameroon is tense, with many questioning the transparency and integrity of the electoral process. Ekane has urged supporters to remain calm yet vigilant, warning of an attempt to suppress opposition.
With legal avenues narrowing and political pressure mounting, the fate of Kamto’s candidacy remains uncertain — a development that may reshape Cameroon’s democratic future in the weeks to come.
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