Cameroon’s long-serving President Paul Biya has confirmed he will run for an eighth term in the country’s October election, brushing aside months of speculation over his health and political future.
Biya, 92, made the announcement on Sunday via social media, promising that “the best is yet to come.” He pledged to continue leading the country through what he called “serious challenges,” as concerns mount over his ability to govern and mounting pressure for change.
The president, who has ruled since 1982, is Africa’s second-longest serving leader after Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang. His extended rule has drawn criticism for stagnating the country’s political transition.
“Cameroonians deserve democratic change and accountable leadership,” said human rights lawyer Nkongho Felix Agbor.
Biya’s government has faced repeated accusations of corruption and continues to struggle with a violent separatist conflict in English-speaking regions, where deadly clashes and school disruptions persist. He also faces pressure from the spillover threat of Boko Haram militants from neighbouring Nigeria.
Despite this, Biya won the 2018 election with more than 70% of the vote in a poll marred by low turnout and alleged irregularities. This year, several of his former allies have announced plans to challenge him.
In recent years, Biya has frequently spent time abroad, fuelling rumours about his health — including a false report of his death in 2024, which the government publicly denied.
His announcement comes as other African leaders also move to extend their time in office. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni is seeking a seventh term, raising concerns about democratic backsliding across the continent.
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