Cameroon’s presidential race officially began Saturday in a subdued atmosphere, marked by separatist threats, coalition moves, and the absence of two key political figures.
In Bamenda, opposition candidate Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) launched his campaign despite a separatist-imposed lockdown, vowing to end the nearly decade-long conflict in the English-speaking regions.
“No other candidate knows the North-West and South-West better than I do,” Osih declared, pledging peace as his first priority if elected.
In Yaoundé, Bello Bouba Maigari kicked off his campaign on a quieter note but gained momentum after fellow contender Ateki Sexta Carson withdrew to back him, strengthening his coalition.
Supporters hailed him as “prepared to rise to the top of the Republic.”
Meanwhile, the ruling party campaign opened without its 89-year-old candidate, President Paul Biya, who has ruled for 43 years but remains absent from public view.
On the opposition side, Issa Tchiroma Bakary also delayed his campaign launch, with his team promising a program release this week.
With just under two weeks to go, 13 candidates face the challenge of swaying nearly 8 million registered voters in what is shaping up to be one of Cameroon’s most uncertain elections in decades.
