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The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned of rising restrictions on the activities of opposition political parties in the lead up to the election, including the ban of certain gatherings, the exclusion of some political figures from the race and irregularities in voter registration.
UN officials called for the government of Cameroon to ensure free and transparent elections, following several recent incidents that raised concern about the country’s upcoming election. President Paul Biya will seek an eighth term in office.
During the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Jeremy Laurence, the spokesperson for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned of rising restrictions on the activities of opposition political parties in the lead up to the election, including the ban of certain gatherings, the exclusion of some political figures from the race and irregularities in voter registration.
The 92-year-old president announced in July that he would seek re-election, ending speculation that he might step aside. Cameroon’s second president since independence from France in 1960, Biya has been in power since 1982.
Biya, Africa’s second-longest-serving president after Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea, is frequently sick and abroad. Last year, talk spread that he had died, prompting the government to publicly deny the rumours. The more than 40 years of Biya’s rule have left a lasting impact.
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His government has faced various challenges, including allegations of corruption and a secessionist movement in Cameroon’s English-speaking provinces that has forced thousands out of school and triggered deadly clashes with security forces.