Cameroon Presidential Election 2025: The Contenders Following Elecam's Disqualification of Maurice Kamto

In the upcoming October 2021 Cameroon election, several notable figures are vying for the country's highest office. Among them are former Transparency International Cameroon President and lawyer, Akere Tabeng Muna, current President Paul Biya, and presidential candidate Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front (SDF).

Paul Biya, born on February 13, 1933, in the South region of Cameroon, has been in power for the past 43 years, having taken over from former President Ahmadou Ahidjo on November 6, 1982. Biya served under Ahidjo's government, rising through the ranks to become the Director of Cabinet of the Minister of National Education, Youth Affairs and Culture in January 1964, and later as Director of the Civil Cabinet to the President in December 1967. He also served as the Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic in January 1968 and Prime Minister of Cameroon following the creation of a unitary state in 1972 on June 30, 1975.

Akere Tabeng Muna, a lawyer by training, also has a significant political background. He served as the President of Transparency International Cameroon and the Pan African Lawyers Union from 2005-2014 and 2005-2014, respectively. Muna was also a member of the independent High-Level Audit Panel of the African Union for 2007-2008 and the High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa since 2013. In the 2018 elections, Muna ran for President, but later formed a coalition with another candidate and withdrew his candidacy in favour of the latter.

Joshua Osih, born on December 9, 1968, in the South West region of Cameroon, is another contender in the race. Osih is running for the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in the October 2021 election.

Cabral Libii, born on March 29, 1980, in Ekoamaen, Central Region, Cameroon, is another presidential candidate in the upcoming election. Libii previously ran for president in 2018, making him the youngest candidate, and later joined the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN) and was appointed as head of the party in 2019. In the municipal and legislative elections on February 9, 2020, Libii was elected as a Member of Parliament, along with four other party members.

The race has not been without controversy. Critics argue that plans have been made to exclude Maurice Kamto, who came second in the 2018 presidential polls, from challenging Paul Biya in this year's election. After the 2018 presidential election, a dispute erupted between Cabral Libii and the president of the "Univers" party. As the election results were announced, Libii received 6.28% of the votes, placing him in third position.

Aspiring candidates who have been disqualified from the presidential race have two days to file a petition with the constitutional council. Paul Biya, however, has rejected calls to step down, stating that he still has a lot to offer Cameroonians, despite having been in power for nearly 43 years.

The election promises to be a significant event in Cameroon's political landscape, with several seasoned and new contenders vying for the presidency. The outcome of the election will undoubtedly shape the country's future for years to come.

Cameroon Presidential Election 2025: The Contenders Following Elecam's Disqualification of Maurice Kamto