By Kirangacha Mwaniki
The Common Pulse | August 2025
At 92 years old, Cameroonian President Paul Biya has signaled his intention to run for yet another term in the 2025 presidential election. Having ruled since 1982, Biya is now the second-longest-serving head of state in the world; after Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang. His decision has sparked outrage, resignation, and confusion among Cameroonians, many of whom have never known another leader.
This re-election bid is more than just a political event; it is a glaring symptom of a system that has resisted reform, ignored generational change, and weaponized fear to maintain the status quo.
The Man Who Time Forgot
Paul Biya came to power before most Cameroonians were born. He has led through the Cold War, the rise of mobile phones, the internet revolution, and the African Continental Free Trade Area — all while aging behind the walls of Etoudi Palace.
He is rarely seen in public, often ruling from abroad; mostly Switzerland; in what critics mock as “remote control leadership.” His long absences, lack of press conferences, and tightly scripted appearances raise serious concerns about his ability to govern.
Yet, somehow, Biya remains on the ballot, as if time, accountability, and mortality do not apply.
Cracks in the Republic
Cameroon today is a country in crisis. The Anglophone conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions continues to simmer, with violence, displacement, and repression still rampant. The economy struggles under debt, corruption, and youth unemployment. And democratic institutions; the judiciary, the electoral commission, and the legislature; operate as extensions of Biya’s executive power.
Political opposition, most notably Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, is routinely harassed, sidelined, or arrested. Protests are banned, internet blackouts are common, and journalists operate under constant threat.
Biya’s re-election bid feels less like a democratic exercise and more like an attempt to keep an aging regime on life support.
Why He Won’t Leave
Much like other African strongmen, Biya has systematically eroded the structures meant to limit power. Term limits were scrapped in 2008, and the ruling CPDM party is little more than a personality cult.
There is no clear successor, no space for debate, and no credible electoral process. Biya’s survival is deeply tied to the elite networks, military patronage, and foreign interests; particularly France; that benefit from a predictable, if stagnant, Cameroon.
Leaving office, for Biya and those around him, could mean losing protection, wealth, and legacy.
The Ghost of a Generation
The tragedy of Biya’s extended rule is not just about his age or longevity; it is the suffocation of a generation’s dreams. Millions of young Cameroonians have grown up under repression, with little chance of participating in governance, shaping policy, or even imagining a new political order.
Many have voted with their feet; fleeing to Europe, drowning in the Mediterranean, or languishing in refugee camps. Others remain trapped in despair, watching the same old faces recite the same tired promises every five years.
A country cannot thrive on nostalgia and fear. It needs vision, renewal, and courage.
Echoes Beyond Yaoundé
Biya’s re-election bid has ripple effects across Africa. It reinforces a dangerous precedent - that leadership is for life, that constitutions are mere suggestions, and that citizens can be ignored indefinitely.
But resistance is growing. From Senegal to Sudan, youth-led movements are demanding change. Civil society is waking up. Social media is breaking the silence once protected by state media monopolies.
Cameroon may be behind the curve, but it is not immune.
The Clock Is Ticking
Paul Biya’s candidacy may not surprise anyone, but it should alarm everyone. It is a reminder that Africa’s democratic progress is fragile - and easily reversed when power is unchecked.
The question now is not just whether Biya can win another term; but whether Cameroon can survive another one.
At The Common Pulse, we don’t just report the news - we follow its consequences. Cameroon’s story is Africa’s warning. Stay tuned.
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