AFRICA’S BALLOT TESTS: Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire Face the Weight of Continuity and the Cry for Change
By The Urban Gazette Political Desk
Abidjan / Younde
As ballots are counted across Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire, two long-serving presidents — Paul Biya and Alassane Ouattara — have once again asserted their dominance over political systems that many citizens say no longer reflect their aspirations. The dual elections, held in mid- and late-October, have laid bare a defining paradox of Francophone Africa in 2025: stability anchored by aging incumbents versus the restless pulse of a new generation demanding renewal.
🇨🇲 Cameroon: The Iron Grip Persists
The Cameroonian Constitutional Council on Monday declared President Paul Biya, 92, the official winner of the October 12 election with 53.66 percent of the vote.
His closest rival, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, rejected the tally, alleging “systematic manipulation” and calling for an independent verification process.
While Biya’s supporters celebrate another term as a guarantee of continuity, major cities like Douala and Yaoundé erupted in protest even before results were certified.
At least four people have died, and over a hundred have been detained, according to local human rights monitors.
“We’ve grown up under one president. How can democracy breathe if the same man keeps winning?”
— Marceline Nguem, 28, Douala protester
Biya, in power since 1982, now extends his rule into a fifth decade. Critics argue that Cameroon risks political paralysis, while supporters praise his experience amid regional insecurity.
Regional analysts say Biya’s reelection underscores how entrenched leadership and weak electoral institutions continue to define Central Africa’s political texture.
🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire: Ouattara’s Quiet Continuation
Across the Gulf of Guinea, President Alassane Ouattara, 83, is poised for a fourth term, with preliminary results giving him a commanding lead.
The opposition — fractured and hampered by the exclusion of figures like Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam — has cried foul but offered no clear pathway for challenge.
Jean-Louis Billon, the only remaining major opponent, conceded early, citing “a tilted field and an inevitable outcome.”
While the streets of Abidjan remained calm, turnout was notably low in youth-dominated districts. Polling data show rising voter apathy, especially among first-time voters skeptical that elections can deliver change.
“We’re told democracy means choice, but our choices are already made for us.”
— Clémence Dago, 22, university student, Abobo
Observers note that Ouattara’s government has maintained macroeconomic stability and major infrastructure projects, but his longevity — and constitutional controversies around term limits — mirror broader regional unease about leadership succession.
🌍 Regional Democracy Watch: The Age Gap in Power
The juxtaposition of Biya and Ouattara’s victories paints a regional portrait of democratic fatigue.
Both men are nonagenarian or octogenarian leaders whose continued dominance points to what political scientist Kouassi Arnaud calls “institutionalized incumbency” — systems designed to reproduce power rather than transfer it.
Across West and Central Africa, where coups have toppled civilian governments from Niger to Gabon, long presidencies paradoxically appear to promise order. Yet, analysts warn, the region’s young majority — 70 percent under 35 — is running out of patience.
🔊 Voices of Change: Youth, Protest, and Digital Resistance
From Douala’s crowded streets to Abidjan’s social-media spaces, a generation of Africans is speaking up.
Protests, hashtags, and creative activism have filled the post-election vacuum left by disillusioned political parties.
In Cameroon, youth groups are using TikTok and X to post live footage of protests under the hashtag #CameroonDeservesBetter.
In Côte d’Ivoire, university collectives have launched digital campaigns calling for electoral reforms under #MonVoteCompte (“My Vote Counts”).
Though governments dismiss these movements as fringe noise, experts say they represent the embryonic stage of a new political consciousness — one less tied to ethnicity or patronage and more focused on accountability, jobs, and generational inclusion.
⚖ What Lies Ahead
Both Biya and Ouattara have secured continuity, but at the cost of renewed questions about legitimacy.
The challenge for both governments is not victory, but trust: convincing skeptical citizens that their votes matter and that democracy still delivers.
“This isn’t just about elections,” notes analyst Sophie Tandia of the Yaoundé Policy Forum.
“It’s about the future — who leads, who follows, and whether the youth stay engaged or give up.”
🧭 Editorial Takeaway
As Africa’s aging leaders tighten their hold, its young citizens are rewriting the democratic narrative in real time — on the streets, online, and in the ballot box.
Whether governments listen may define the next decade of African politics far more than any official election result.
