Cameroon: Presidential inauguration in Yaoundé November 6

Event

The inauguration ceremony for President Paul Biya is set to be held on Tuesday, November 6, after the Constitutional Court confirmed his win in an October 22 ruling. The event is set to take place at the National Assembly in the capital in Yaoundé. A continued heavy security presence and associated transportation disruptions are to be expected throughout the day in Yaoundé, as well as in other major cities such as Douala. Protests and clashes cannot be ruled out.

Meanwhile, opposition protests to denounce the results of the October 7 presidential elections continue. On November 4, dozens of supporters of the opposition candidate Maurice Kamto were arrested during a protest in Bafoussam (West region).

Context

President Biya, who has ruled the country since 1982, will be sworn in for a seventh term.

Eighteen requests, including some from all three major opposition candidates, were sent to the Constitutional Court to annul all or part of the October 7 vote; all 18 were rejected. The opposition candidates cited incidents of voter fraud and vote-rigging. Cameroon's electoral body has denied all claims of election interference.

On October 27-28, around 65 Kamto supporters were arrested during demonstrations in Douala and Yaoundé.

Advice

Individuals in Cameroon are advised to monitor the situation and avoid all political events and large public gatherings due to significant security concerns (e.g. unrest). Those intending to travel to or within Yaoundé should anticipate disruptions.