Cameroon opposition leader flees after contested election
Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Cameroonian opposition leader has fled to Gambia since his "safety could no longer be guaranteed in Cameroon". Tchiroma continues to insist that he emerged victorious in the elections, securing more votes than the 92-year-old Biya.
Serrekunda/Yaoundé/Banjul (AP/dpa) – Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has fled Cameroon for Gambia following the re-election of Paul Biya, the world's oldest president, the Gambian government confirmed on Monday.
Tchiroma had been taken in for "humanitarian reasons" and to "ensure his safety," the authorities in Banjul said. They added that attempts were being made with regional partners such as Nigeria to “support a peaceful and negotiated outcome” to the post-election tensions in Cameroon.
Alice Nkom, a human rights lawyer and spokeswoman for Tchiroma, told dpa that he Gambian government was providing protection to Tchiroma, "as he is the president of a country." Tchiroma's safety could no longer be guaranteed in Cameroon, she said, adding that the 76-year-old former government spokesman had no option but to flee.
Tchiroma continues to insist that he emerged victorious in the elections, securing more votes than the 92-year-old Biya, who has been in office for 43 years.
Contested result
The country's Constitutional Court declared Biya the victor with 53.7% of the votes cast, while Tchiroma, who had served under Biya until the summer, gained around 35%. The authorities in Cameroon have threatened to arrest Tchiroma, accusing him of endangering peace with his calls for protest against the election results.
Observers see the elections as flawed. Thousands of Tchiroma supporters have been arrested following the protests. According to official reports, 16 people died in the unrest, while the opposition has put the figure at more than 50.
Biya first came to power in 1982, following the resignation of Cameroon’s first president, and has ruled since then, later benefiting from a constitutional amendment that abolished term limits.
He is rarely seen in public and his health has been a topic of speculation as he spends most of his time in Europe, leaving governance to key party officials and family members.
The West African country of 30 million inhabitants faces economic difficulties and conflict, including a separatist struggle in the English-speaking regions and attacks by Islamist terrorist groups in the north.