Cameroon Presidential Polls: Young Population, Old Candidates

As Cameroon heads into Sunday’s presidential election, the stage is set for a contest that pits an ageing political establishment against a restless, youthful population hungry for renewal.

In a nation where over 70% of the population is under 35, the choice before voters is between leaders old enough to be their great-grandparents.

At 92, President Paul Biya, one of the world’s longest-serving heads of state, is seeking an unprecedented eighth term in office; his two strongest challengers, Bello Bouba Maigari (78) and Issa Tchiroma Bakary (76), are not much younger.

Together, they represent a political class that has dominated Cameroon since before most voters were born.

A Nation of the Young, Led by the Old

Having first assumed power in 1982, Biya has outlasted multiple regional leaders, rewritten the constitution to remove term limits, and consolidated control over state institutions. But the demographic reality of today’s Cameroon tells a very different story.

According to Statistics Times, 75.88% of the population is under 35 years, meaning three out of every four Cameroonians fall under that age bracket, yet their presidential options are drawn almost entirely from the political elite of the 1970s and 1980s.

It means that for the vast majority of the population, Biya is the only president they have known – more than 60% of Cameroon’s 30 million people are below the age of 25.

Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi, in an interview with the BBC, said she is desperate for “new blood”, as she believes “longevity in power inevitably leads to a kind of laziness”.

“After 43 years, the people are tired,” she added.

Despite the dominance of Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), this year’s presidential race features a handful of familiar names hoping to end his 43-year rule.

One of the most prominent is Bello Bouba Maigari, a former prime minister under Biya in the 1980s and long-time leader of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP).

His campaign, focused on national unity and administrative reform, gained momentum when two candidates, Akere Muna and Ateki Seta, withdrew to endorse him.

Maigari has pledged to “restore integrity to government” and decentralise power, though critics say his vision lacks the dynamism young voters crave.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, another septuagenarian, has gained ground with his powerful speeches. Once a government spokesperson, he broke ranks with Biya’s administration earlier this year, accusing it of “mismanaging the country’s oil and cocoa wealth”.

His rallies in the north have drawn large crowds, but he faces the task of winning over younger, urban voters who see both him and Biya as people of the same political generation.

A surprise runner, Hermine Patricia Ndam Njoya (56), the only female candidate, offers a relatively youthful and reformist alternative under the Union Démocratique du Cameroun (UDC).

Her campaign, anchored on transparency, youth empowerment, and women’s inclusion, has struck a chord with sections of the younger electorate, though her reach remains limited.

Other top candidates include Akere Muna (72), Joshua Osih (56), Éric Essono Tsimi (43), Cabral Libii (45) and Léon Theiller Onana (38).

Biya’s biggest strength remains the state machinery he has meticulously built over four decades. The CPDM’s nationwide structure, from governors to village chiefs, has repeatedly delivered comfortable victories.

His only major rally this week in Maroua drew huge crowds, with state media still portraying him as the “father of the nation”.

At the event, Biya acknowledged frustration over poor infrastructure and unemployment but urged citizens to “trust in the future” and reject “false prophets of doom”.

Meanwhile, security concerns loom large, particularly in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions—Bamenda, Buea, Kumba, Limbe, Mamfe, Lebialem, Ndian, and Bui divisions—where separatist fighters continue to enforce lockdowns.

Voter turnout there could be severely depressed, especially among young people fearful of violence or reprisals.

With no run-off provision in Cameroon’s electoral system, victory goes to whoever secures the highest vote share, a structure that often favours the incumbent when opposition votes are split.

This election marks a defining moment for Cameroon’s young electorate. For the first time, millions of voters born after Biya came to power will cast their ballots.

They are connected, politically aware, and vocal about change. But whether they can convert their energy into a political upset remains uncertain.