🔗 Share this article

Cameroon's Interior Minister the interior minister has stated that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will undergo legal proceedings over claims that he incited "violent electoral rallies".

At least four demonstrators have been lost their lives during confrontations between law enforcement and demonstrators since the electoral process on 12 October, with the 92-year-old head of state winning an eighth presidential mandate.

Issa Tchiroma maintains that he won the election, a claim dismissed by the governing party, the CPDM.

Forceful measures by law enforcement on demonstrators have concerned the world leaders, with the United Nations, AU and EU demanding caution.

Official's Claims

Recently, Nji charged Tchiroma Bakary of planning what he labeled "unauthorized" rallies causing the fatalities, and also condemned him for declaring victory in the presidential race.

He added that the opposition leader's "associates behind an insurrectionary plan" will also undergo judicial processes.

Election Results

Paul Biya, who took control in 1982 and is now the world's oldest head of state, won the October 12 vote with over half of the vote, compared to just over a third for his opponent, according to the constitutional court.

Opposition Response

Tchiroma Bakary is yet to respond to the official announcement to prosecute him, but he had before announced that he would not accept a fraudulent outcome - and that he was undaunted of being arrested.

On election result day, he reported that armed men shot on protesters present near his home in the city of Garoua, fatally wounding at least 2 people.

Inquiry Revealed

Earlier this week, the interior minister revealed that an investigation would be initiated into clashes prior to and following the announcement of the vote outcome.

"In the course of these incidents, some of the individuals involved were killed," he stated, without giving a specific number of demonstrators who have been fatally injured in the confrontations.

The minister added that a number of officers of the police and military also suffered significant wounds.

Present Conditions

Even though Nji maintained the situation nationwide was now under control, protesters remain active in certain regions of the nation, especially in urban centers, where demonstrators established barricades on Tuesday, and ignited tyres on the roads.

Experts caution that the election-related unrest could plunge the country into a leadership vacuum.