Cameroon’s Deteriorating Political Landscape: A Deep Look at Paul Biya’s Enduring Regime

For over four decades, President Paul Biya’s grip on power in Cameroon has been a topic of fierce debate and controversy. A grip that has seen generation after generation of a youthful population wait hopelessly for their turn, amidst a perpetual gerontocracy, with old and frail looking Ministers being recycled from one ministry to the other and some reappointed from retirement back into service.

Biya’s reign, characterized by constitutional manipulations, power consolidations, and a pervasive personality cult, has increasingly come under scrutiny as the country faces mounting political and economic challenges. With the 2025 presidential elections looming, Biya’s plans to extend his rule have sparked scandal and widespread discontent among citizens and political observers alike, while his loyalists are busy crafting strategies, deploying both conventional and non-conventional political tactics to ensure continuity.

A Legacy of Constitutional Abuse

Since assuming power in 1982, Paul Biya has built a political machine that is as resilient as it is authoritarian, and the only time he has faced a real challenge was in 1992, at the birth of multi-partism, when many believed Mr John Fru Ndi, the then firebrand leader of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) defeated him at the presidential elections. The regime, under Biya seem to have corrected all errors that could have led to that 1992 defeat, and over the years, the regime has systematically dismantled the democratic structures designed to ensure accountability and transparency, and thus perfecting the rigging machinery, which has allowed Biya to stage elections every few years and claim sweeping victory.

Constitutional amendments have frequently been passed to eliminate term limits and reshape the political landscape in favor of the incumbent Biya, by a hand-clapping legislative body under his firm control. These changes are not reflective of a genuine desire for reform but are rather tactical maneuvers designed to secure Biya’s hold on power indefinitely.

Biya’s decision to run in the 2025 presidential elections is not only a betrayal and an abuse of the people’s patience, but are also emblematic of a broader strategy to cling to power, and ensure continuity by the current ruling class, despite an erosion in public confidence. His age and deteriorating health, evidenced by his frail looking appearances, his extended absences including a recent one that became the subject of discussion both nationally and internally, as the news of his alleged demise spread are all cumulative factors that critics and many Cameroonians believe he should do the right thing by honourably stepping down and passing the baton on. Cameroonians, especially the youths feel betrayed by his persistent grip onto power with little or nothing new to offer other than his yearly convoluted but empty speeches.

His decision to run has been met with outrage from opposition figures and civil society groups who see it as the ultimate betrayal of Cameroon’s democratic aspirations. They point to an alarming pattern of constitutional abuse where legal provisions are manipulated to suit the needs of the ruling elite, at the detriment of the public, and thus seen as a primary driver behind the country’s political and economic stagnation.

Power Confiscations and the Erosion of Democratic Institutions

Biya’s tenure has been marked by a series of controversial power confiscations that have undermined the integrity of Cameroon’s political institutions. The centralization of authority has not only weakened democratic checks and balances but has also enabled the regime to pursue policies that favor a select few at the expense of the broader populace. Resources that might have been used for national development are often diverted to maintain the extensive network of patronage that supports Biya’s rule. All key government positions are held not only by his loyalist, but by members from his Beti-Bulu Ethnic group. The government is flooded with members from this ethnic group, filling positions from the ministries down to divisional officers at the divisional level, thus alienating all other ethnic groups. The country has a figure head Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute with little or no powers, with appointed subordinates still from the president’s ethnic group and who have more powers than the prime minister. They report directly to the presidency, bypassing the PM on most occasions. Most Cameroonians widely hold the opinion that the Biya’s regime is the most tribalistic regime in the world.

This centralization of power is evident in the way dissent is managed. Political opponents, independent media, and civil society activists have often found themselves side-lined, harassed, detained and in some extreme cases even killed. Biya’s heavy handed approach means the regime uses state powers and resources to weaken or destroy any dissent, or any real opposition. The term “real opposition” is used in the Cameroon context because the regime creates and  sponsors dozens of satellite pseudo opposition parties, to infiltrate and disorganise the opposition, and who then often pledge their allegiance to the regime on the eve of most presidential. This is a well known practice in Cameroon under Biya. Very often Cameroonians call on their opposition leaders to form a coalition as a way to oust Biya at elections, but the existence of this regime sponsored opposition parties, it makes forming a coalition near impossible and vulnerable.

In many other instances, legal frameworks have been stretched or outright ignored, allowing the executive branch to operate with near-impunity, with a Minister of Territorial Administration who regularly threatens the population on TV, using vile language in issuing threats to journalists and opposition leaders.  The cumulative effect of these actions has been a gradual erosion of trust in state institutions, a trend that poses serious questions about the future of governance in Cameroon.

The Personality Cult: Worship and Isolation

At the heart of Biya’s enduring rule is a well-crafted personality cult. The president’s image is omnipresent in public spaces from billboards to official government buildings creating an atmosphere where his authority is both visually and symbolically reinforced. This constant display of power is designed not merely to project strength but to cultivate a near-mythical status that discourages dissent and promotes loyalty.

However, the personality cult around Biya is not just about images; it extends to a narrative of infallibility. State-controlled media often present him as the indispensable father figure of the nation, the only leader capable of navigating Cameroon through turbulent times, even at age 92+. This narrative is particularly potent among a segment of the population that has been swayed by decades of government propaganda. Yet, beneath the surface, many citizens are increasingly disillusioned. They view the personality cult as a facade that masks the stark realities of economic mismanagement, corruption, clientelism, nepotism and an ever-widening gap between the elite and the common people. Cameroon fits the description of a decaying society, not in some hypothetical context but in the real.

Adding to the intrigue is Biya’s notorious absenteeism. Despite his omnipresence in state propaganda, there have been numerous instances where the president’s physical presence in the country has been noticeably absent. His prolonged periods of seclusion  often in undisclosed or secure locations exemplify a disconnect between the leadership and the everyday struggles of Cameroonians. This absence has led to accusations that Biya is more concerned with maintaining his image and personal safety than with the genuine governance of the nation.

2025 Presidential Elections

As the 2025 presidential elections draw near, the political climate in Cameroon is growing increasingly volatile. Biya’s announcement of his intention to run for yet another term has reignited debates over constitutional legitimacy and the future of democracy in the country. For many, the idea of another re-election under the same regime is not just unpalatable, it is a direct threat to the country’s democratic evolution.

The upcoming elections will not be different from any other previous elections and will be marred by widespread irregularities. The same practices that have been used in previous elections such as voter register manipulations, voter intimidation, opposition infiltration, media censorship, and the strategic use of state resources to influence outcomes are expected to be the modus operandi with even greater vigor this time. For a significant portion of the population, these measures are indicative of a political system that has become increasingly out of touch with the principles of fair play and democratic accountability. Opposition leaders intimidation and stigmatization and attempts to disqualify opposition leaders has become the norm.

Despite their weak footings, some real opposition leaders have attempted to rally support by calling for electoral reforms and greater transparency. Some have as usual called for a unified front. However, their efforts have often been met with bureaucratic roadblocks and, in some cases, outright repression. This has led to a growing sense of despair among voters who believe that the playing field is irrevocably skewed in favour of the entrenched powers.

The Human Cost of Authoritarian Rule

Behind the headlines and political maneuvering lies the real human cost of Biya’s prolonged rule. Ordinary Cameroonians, especially the youths have borne the brunt of economic mismanagement, corruption, and the erosion of public services. Many communities, particularly in regions that have historically been marginalized, such as the conflict grip Anglophone regions feel that the government’s policies have left them further disenfranchised, with a general sense of abandonment, as the regime continue to refuse addressing the root cause of the ongoing now protracted armed conflict in the regions. Worth noting past elections have been organised without the active participation of these regions in conflict

Other parts of Cameroon are also in ruins and face a multitude of their own specific mostly economic problems. As public trust in the state continues to wane, there is a rising call for accountability—calls that are increasingly ignored by a regime more focused on survival than on serving its people. Multiple corruption and embezzlement scandals have emerged recently with no real culprit held accountable. Rather those who have attempted to blow the whistle have been eliminated or silenced.

The socioeconomic disparities that have grown over the years have sown the seeds of unrest. Youth unemployment (officially reported as 6.44%) is 10 times higher than this figure and remains a pressing issue, and the lack of meaningful opportunities has driven many to seek alternatives outside the formal economy. The country has one of the highest rates of unemployed graduates and PHD holds in the world. This disillusionment is compounded by the perceived injustice of a political system that rewards loyalty to a single individual over competence and fairness.

Corruption and Mismanagement:

Cameroon state-owned corporations, once envisioned as engines of national development, if not ruined and forced out of business or privatised and sold to loyalists for a fraction of their value, they have morphed into conduits for rampant corruption tightly linked to the regime. These institutions, designed to serve public interests, are now emblematic of mismanagement and the siphoning of public funds into the hands of a select few. For example, in a recent case against Glencore Plc, an Anglo-Swiss Multinational Company with its headquarters in Switzerland, the company pleaded guilty for bribing two Cameroonian state owned entities; SNH and SONARA a whooping CFA7bln (FCFA Seven Billion), money that all ended in private Bank accounts belonging to a few privileged officials within the regime at the highest level, reason the guilty plea from Glencore has no bearings in Cameroon and no one individual has been charged. This is reminiscent of the French Elf mammoth corruption scandal verdict in 2003, considered the biggest political and corporate sleaze scandal to hit a Western Democracy since the second World War, where Elf top officials (Loik Le Floch-Prigent, Alfred Sirven, Andre Tarallo) were found guilty and jailed for fuelling large scale corruption across Africa, with huge bribes paid to top officials in Cameroon and Gabon and other African French speaking countries. It’s been over 20 years today since they were found guilty, but strangely not a single Cameroonian has been charged with corruption related to the case.

Inflated contracts, dubious procurement practices, and opaque financial dealings have become the norm. Billions of CFA francs have reportedly been diverted through a system that favours cronies and loyalists of President Paul Biya. Senior officials, handpicked for their loyalty rather than competence, oversee these corporations with little to no accountability, creating a fertile environment for corrupt practices. Contracts are frequently awarded without competitive bidding, and auditing processes are either superficial or deliberately obstructed.

Funds earmarked for critical national projects end up padding private bank accounts, while essential services for ordinary Cameroonians languish in neglect, with many areas without electricity or drinking water, many more communities without health facilities or proper learning space for kids. This deliberate mismanagement ensures that state resources are used not for national development, but to reinforce the regime’s stranglehold on power. The wealth amassed through these channels not only underwrites extravagant lifestyles for the elite but also secures political loyalty through patronage networks that stifle dissent and innovation.

The systemic corruption observed within these corporations underscores a broader crisis where public institutions have been hijacked for personal gain. Interestingly, many Cameroonians hand the wider public is increasingly aware that the exploitation of state assets remains a central pillar of Biya’s enduring power. In this environment of impunity, the mismanagement of Cameroon’s state-owned enterprises continues to erode trust in government and impede the country’s progress, leaving citizens to bear the heavy cost of a regime built on corruption, nepotism and favouritism.

Looking Ahead: Cameroon, A Nation at a Crossroads

Cameroon stands at a critical juncture. The challenges posed by decades of kleptocratic and authoritarian rule have left the country deeply divided, with the legitimacy of its political institutions in serious question. For fear of an implosion, Biya has sort to maintain the old friends in power, resulting into a gerontocracy with some of the oldest government officials in the world. The prospect of another presidential election under Biya’s rule has intensified these debates, leaving many to wonder whether a change in leadership is not only desirable but necessary for the country’s future.

What is still left of the international community must pay close attention to the situation in Cameroon, as it could quickly deteriorate into chaos, given the level of resentment and hate speech in the country at the moment. Cameroon serves as a cautionary tale of how power can be concentrated in the hands of one individual to the detriment of democratic processes. Human rights organizations, political analysts, and some former government officials alike have called for a reassessment of the nation’s governance structures. Meaningful reforms are needed to restore public trust, enhance accountability, and create a political environment where dissent can be expressed without fear of retribution.

As the 2025 elections approach, the spotlight will inevitably turn to the mechanisms of power that have defined Paul Biya’s tenure. Will the international community and domestic voices rise to demand change? Or will the entrenched systems of patronage and control continue to dictate the fate of the nation? For many Cameroonians, the answer to these questions will shape the future trajectory of their country, one that is, at present, fraught with uncertainty and peril.

Author: Eric Acha (Executive Director; Africa Policy Forum, and a contributing opinionist at Global Echos) Contact: acha[at]africanpolicyforum.org