Cameroon's opposition leader Maurice Kamto barred from the upcoming presidential polls

In its announcement last Saturday, ELECAM approved only 13 of the 83 applicants seeking to challenge long-serving President Paul Biya. Kamto was ultimately disqualified after his chosen party, MANIDEM, registered two separate candidates for the race.

While the party's leadership had officially endorsed Kamto, a rival faction within MANIDEM backed a different contender, leading to a conflict that cost Kamto his place on the ballot. Maurice Kamto joined the MANIDEM party on June 27, following his resignation from the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), which was barred from presenting a presidential candidate after boycotting the 2020 legislative and municipal elections.

On Monday, the 71-year-old opposition figure filed an appeal against the decision to disqualify his candidacy. Kamto, who previously ran for president in 2018 and finished second, is once again aiming to challenge President Paul Biya—one of the world's oldest and longest-serving heads of state—despite maintaining that the previous vote was marred by fraud.

President Paul Biya, 92, has been cleared by ELECAM to run for an eighth term. He has held power in Cameroon since 1982, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in the world.

Other candidates vying include the former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigara, seen as a very close ally to the regime, and Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former Minister of Employment in Biya's government.

Over the years, President Paul Biya's government and the electoral commission have consistently targeted the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM).

Party members have faced arbitrary arrests, and several were blocked from contesting local elections. CRM campaign activities have frequently been disrupted by police crackdowns, often resulting in chaos and mass detentions.