Tensions Boil in Cameroon as Police Clash with Opposition Supporters Ahead of Crucial Presidential Poll

Reporting by iNewsAfrica West Africa Bureau

Political tensions erupted in Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, over the weekend as police clashed with supporters of opposition leader Maurice Kamto. The confrontation comes just months before the country’s high-stakes presidential election, with long-serving President Paul Biya expected to seek an eighth term in office. Authorities locked down opposition offices, barred public gatherings, and reportedly placed Kamto under de facto house arrest—raising fears over the integrity of the upcoming vote.

• Opposition leader Maurice Kamto blocked from leaving residence.

• Police prevent access to MRC party offices in Douala.

• Election tensions surge ahead of October 2025 presidential polls.

• President Paul Biya expected to seek an eighth term.

• Rights groups decry crackdown on dissent, warn of pre-election repression.

Douala, Cameroon — Political unrest flared in Cameroon’s coastal city of Douala over the weekend as police and supporters of opposition leader Maurice Kamto clashed in a show of force that signaled escalating tensions ahead of the country’s October presidential election.

Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), was reportedly blocked from leaving his home on Saturday, June 8, with security forces deploying across key zones of the city—including roads near the airport and MRC headquarters—effectively stifling movement and planned opposition activity. The prominent opposition figure later released a video declaring he was under house arrest.

In Douala, police sealed off the party’s regional headquarters and confronted MRC supporters attempting to access the venue. Authorities claimed the gathering was unauthorized, despite Kamto’s assertion that the meeting had been formally declared in advance.

The crackdown has drawn criticism from human rights observers and political analysts, many of whom view it as part of a broader pattern of repression ahead of a critical election. Cameroon has faced growing scrutiny over the democratic space under President Paul Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation since 1982 and is widely expected to seek another term—his eighth—in the upcoming polls.

“The targeting of opposition figures and the silencing of dissenting voices is becoming systematic,” said a political analyst based in Yaoundé, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The political temperature is rising, but the avenues for dialogue are shrinking.”

Reports of arbitrary arrests, bans on public demonstrations, and intimidation of political opponents have become more frequent in recent months, prompting concerns among civil society organizations and international observers about whether the 2025 elections will be free and credible.

The government has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the clashes, but opposition leaders warn that the situation could deteriorate further if democratic guarantees are not upheld.

Kamto, who officially received 14% of the vote in the disputed 2018 elections, remains a key challenger to Biya’s decades-long hold on power. His campaign has galvanized younger voters and urban residents demanding democratic reforms and political renewal.

As Cameroon inches closer to what could be a defining election, the unfolding events in Douala may serve as an early barometer for the broader political climate in the months ahead.