Cameroon Opposition Leader Faces Legal Proceedings Regarding Electoral Turmoil, Government Says

Election Protest in Cameroon
Many in Cameroon show outrage over the fact that the president has secured an eighth term

The nation's Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji has announced that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will undergo legal proceedings over accusations that he instigated "aggressive electoral rallies".

At least 4 protesters have been fatally wounded during confrontations between security forces and demonstrators since the presidential election on 12 October, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya winning an eighth consecutive term.

Issa Tchiroma insists that he emerged victorious, a claim dismissed by the governing party, the CPDM.

Violent crackdowns by law enforcement on protesters have worried the global community, with the United Nations, AU and European Union urging restraint.

Minister's Accusations

On Tuesday, Nji alleged the opposition figure of planning what he described as "unauthorized" rallies resulting in the deaths, and also condemned him for claiming win in the electoral contest.

He further stated that Tchiroma Bakary's "co-conspirators responsible for an rebellious scheme" will also undergo judicial processes.

Poll Figures

The president, who came to power in 1982 and is now the most elderly national leader, obtained the 12 October presidential election with a majority of the vote, compared to 35.2% for his opponent, according to Cameroon's Constitutional Council.

Leader's Stance

Issa Tchiroma is has not yet commented to the authorities' move to bring him to court, but he had before declared that he would not accept a rigged election - and that he was not afraid of being arrested.

Following the vote count, he said that armed men shot on demonstrators present near his house in Garoua, causing the death of at least 2 individuals.

Investigation Announced

Earlier this week, the government official announced that an inquiry would be launched into unrest surrounding the publication of the election results.

"In the course of these incidents, some of the criminals died," he commented, without offering a precise figure of protesters who have been lost their lives in the clashes.

The minister noted that several officers of the police and military also received serious injuries.

Present Conditions

While the interior minister maintained the state of affairs throughout Cameroon was now under control, protesters are still demonstrating in various areas of the country, especially in these two cities, where demonstrators set up barricades on that day, and burnt tyres on the roads.

Analysts alert that the political turmoil could plunge the nation into a governmental instability.

Adam White
Adam White

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