Overview

• The Constitutional Council on August 5 upheld its July ruling to exclude Maurice Kamto under party-affiliation rules and issued a non-appealable verdict.
• Security forces fired tear gas in Yaoundé on August 4–5 to disperse pro-Kamto protests and have detained at least 35 demonstrators on public disorder charges.
• President Paul Biya, in power since 1982, will seek an eighth term on October 12 without his primary opponent.
• Human Rights Watch and other international observers warn that barring the opposition leader undermines the competitiveness and credibility of the vote.
• With only 13 of 83 candidacies approved so far, the final list of contenders remains pending under strict party-registration requirements.