2025 Polls: Why Many Cameroonians Say No to 92-Year-Old President in Power

As Cameroonians headed to the polls on Sunday, frustration rather than excitement dominated conversations not over policy, but over age.

President Paul Biya, now 92, is seeking another seven-year term, a move that many young voters see as a symbol of political fatigue and lost future.

Biya, who has ruled since 1982, could remain in office until the age of 99 if declared winner, extending his 43-year hold on power. 

Cameroon, a nation where more than 70 per cent of the population is under 35, has known only two leaders since independence in 1960.

"Things must change. Life is too hard, hospitals are failing, roads are broken. We cannot be ruled by someone who is almost 100. I voted for the opposition, but I don’t trust the process," said Cheukam Ginette, a 34-year-old first-time voter in Yaoundé.

Doubts over Biya’s health and leadership have become increasingly public, suggesting that the President spends long periods in Europe, rarely addressing the nation, leaving governance to powerful party figures and family members.

READ ALSO: Bayelsa Acquires Two Aircraft for Commercial Operations

"The weakest candidate the ruling party could field. After 43 years in power, Biya represents the past, not the future. This election is no longer about politics, but about generational renewal," Dr Benjamin Akih, a Cameroonian political analyst based at Syracuse University said. 

Nine opposition candidates are vying to unseat him, including former ministers Bello Bouba Maigari and Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who enjoy strong support in the northern regions. Yet many voters fear that the result is predetermined.

"The system is built to discourage change. Multiple ballots, complex procedures — it is not designed to be free and fair," Joshua Osih, candidate of the Social Democratic Front said.

It was believed that beyond politics, Cameroon faces a deepening crisis. A secessionist conflict continues to rage in the English-speaking regions, while Boko Haram militants launch sporadic attacks in the far north. Poverty remains widespread, with an estimated 43 per cent of citizens living below basic standards.

However, hope still persists among the young. "We are not afraid of change.  We are afraid of never seeing it," said a university student in Douala.

Official results are expected by 26 October, but across Cameroon, many believe the verdict is already written not in ballots, but in the growing impatience of a new generation.