Cameroon Sees Growing Anti-Biya Hostility Ahead of Presidential Election

By Zera Nambu

Days to Cameroon’s 2025 presidential election, signs of growing hostility towards the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party and President Paul Biya are increasingly visible in major cities of the country.

Acts of citizens ripping off the president’s images on posters and billboards have emerged. To many observers, this shows the desire for political change among the population, after more than four decades of Biya in power.

Residents in cities like Douala, Yaounde and Bamenda have been observed removing campaign posters featuring President Biya’s image. In Bamenda, posters in the Old Town area were taken down by unknown persons.

The demonstrations of discontent extend beyond acts of vandalism. In Douala, the country’s largest city, some individuals wearing clothing displaying President Biya’s image have faced public ridicule as they walk through the city.

In one amateur video captured several weeks back, citizens were captured booing and jeering at CPDM militants, dressed in the party’s uniform, on which Biya’s image is imprinted.

There is a feeling of frustration among parts of the population as some CPDM rallies also remain empty, with few militants at the venue.

While these actions do not represent the views of all Cameroonians, they show the palpable dissatisfaction with the CPDM’s long term hold on power.

On the contrary, opposition figures like Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Bello Bouba Maigari and Cabral Libii have seen massive population turnouts at their recent campaign rallies.

Online, many citizens are clamoring for change, fed up by years of underdevelopment, poor infrastructure, corruption and bad governance.

It remains unclear whether these acts of discomfort will translate into significant shifts in voting patterns on election day.

The CPDM faces a challenging environment at this point especially now as it seeks to maintain its dominance. There are also concerns about possible unrest surrounding the election.