At least four people have been killed in Cameroon as protests turned violent following the announcement of President Paul Biya’s re-election.
The 92-year-old leader, who has ruled the Central African country for 43 years, was declared winner of the October 12 presidential election, securing another seven-year term in office.
Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation for 43 years, faced strong opposition from Issa Tchiroma, who rejected the official results and claimed victory in the polls.
According to Tchiroma, he secured 54.8 percent of the votes, compared to the 31.3 percent attributed to Biya. Ahead of the announcement of results, the opposition leader urged his supporters to hold peaceful marches, despite a nationwide ban on public gatherings.
The protests, however, turned violent in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, where demonstrators reportedly attacked police stations and a gendarmerie brigade in two districts.
The regional governor confirmed that four people were killed in the clashes, while several security officers sustained injuries.
“Four people unfortunately lost their lives,” the governor said, adding that efforts were ongoing to restore calm in affected areas.
Biya’s renewed mandate has sparked outrage among opposition supporters, many of whom accuse the government of electoral manipulation and repression in a country that has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of power in over four decades.