92-Year-Old Cameroonian President Paul Biya Announces Bid For Eighth Term In Office

Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya has announced he will run for an eighth term in the upcoming October 2025 election.

The 92-year-old president, who is aiming to extend his time in power to nearly five decades, made the announcement on Sunday via a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“I am a candidate for the 12 October 2025 presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the serious challenges facing us.

“Together, there are no challenges we cannot meet. The best is still to come,” Paul Biya wrote in French and English.

Biya, who has led Cameroon since 1982, is also the head of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).

While his candidacy was widely expected, his age and health have sparked growing concerns about his ability to lead effectively.

In recent months, some longtime allies have distanced themselves from him.

Two high-profile political figures have even left his camp to launch their own presidential bids.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the Employment Minister, stepped down in June to contest under the banner of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC).

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari, a close ally of Biya for nearly 30 years, is now running as a candidate for the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP).

Both parties were previously allied with Biya’s CPDM.

Other notable candidates in the race include Maurice Kamto, Biya’s main challenger from the 2018 election, and Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR).

Presidential hopefuls have until July 21 to declare their intention to run. However, the opposition remains fragmented, with no clear consensus on a unified candidate despite widespread public frustration with the current government.

Many Cameroonians are grappling with rising costs, high youth unemployment, poor public services, and sporadic violence from separatist groups, particularly in the country’s English-speaking regions.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2023, President Paul Biya made headlines after he completely forgot where he was during the Africa Leaders Summit in Washington DC, the United States.