The Cameroonian government has announced plans to prosecute opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary for allegedly inciting violent protests following the country’s disputed presidential election.
Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji made the announcement on Tuesday, accusing Tchiroma Bakary of organising “illegal demonstrations” that led to the deaths of several people. He added that others “responsible for an insurrectionary plan” would also face prosecution.
At least four people have reportedly been killed in clashes between security forces and opposition supporters since the October 12 election, in which 92-year-old President Paul Biya secured a controversial eighth term with 53.7% of the vote. The Constitutional Council declared Tchiroma Bakary runner-up with 35.2%.
Tchiroma Bakary has rejected the results, claiming he won the election — an assertion dismissed by Biya’s ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). He told the BBC he would not accept “a stolen vote” and was “not afraid of being arrested.”
The opposition leader also alleged that on the day the results were announced, armed men opened fire on demonstrators near his home in Garoua, killing at least two civilians.
Minister Nji said the government would launch an investigation into the violence before and after the election results were declared. “During these attacks, some of the criminals lost their lives,” he said, without specifying casualty figures.
He confirmed that several security officers sustained serious injuries during the unrest but assured that “the situation across the country is now under control.”
Despite the government’s claims, protests persisted in parts of Douala and Garoua on Tuesday, where demonstrators barricaded roads and set tyres ablaze.
The United Nations, African Union, and European Union have all urged restraint, warning that the post-election violence could further destabilise the Central African nation.
