Overview
- Cameroon’s Constitutional Council declared Paul Biya the winner with 53.66% over Issa Tchiroma’s 35.19%, a final ruling that sets up a swearing‑in within 15 days.
- Issa Tchiroma rejected the result as a “fictitious victory,” claimed he won, and urged supporters to mobilize as authorities announced an investigation into him for incitement.
- Protests spread through Douala, Garoua and Yaounde, with at least four people reported dead and hundreds arrested, including more than 200 detentions in the Douala region; local media put the death toll higher.
- The European Union deplored civilian deaths and called for the release of those arbitrarily detained, while the U.N. chief, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International urged restraint and independent inquiries.
- Observer assessments diverged, with local civil society and Catholic bishops citing irregularities such as deceased names on rolls and ballot issues, the African Union mission calling the vote largely compliant, and a disputed internet outage intensifying public anger.