Voting begins, Biya poised for 8th term

Voting began yesterday as Cameroon holds presidential elections which 92-year-old Paul Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, is expected to win, extending his already 43-year grip on power.

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Mr Biya faces 11 opponents, including former employment minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, who has generated unexpected enthusiasm among voters in the central African nation, where half the population is under 20.

Polling stations opened at 8am and was to close at 6pm local time.

The eight million Cameroonians who are eligible to vote in the one-round election have, for the most part, only known one ruler in their lifetime.

Mr Biya has been in power since 1982 and has won every election in the past 20 years by more than 70 percent of the ballot.

“We shouldn't be naive. We know full well the ruling system has ample means at its disposal to get results in its favour,” Cameroonian political scientist Stephane Akoa told AFP.

But he said that the campaign in recent days had been “much livelier” than was usually the case at that stage.

“This poll is therefore more likely to throw up surprises” he said.