WE WON’T BE LED BY A 93-YEAR-OLD MADALA”- CAMEROONIANS

Cameroonians living in South Africa marched to their country’s embassy in Pretoria on Monday to protest against the re-election of Paul Biya as the country’s president for the eighth term now.

Biya has been in power in Cameroon since November 1982 after the surprise resignation of then president Ahmadou Ahijo earlier on in that year.

“We reject the election results because we don’t want to be led by a 93-year-old madala (old man) who must actually stay at home and play with his grandchildren,” enthused the protesting Cameroonians outside the embassy.

The presidential elections took place way back on 12 October 2025 and were only announced on Monday 27 October 2025.

It is widely believed that the elections were rigged just as they have been rigged before in previous elections and this is the reason the outcome was delayed.

The picketing by Cameroonians took place all over the world at all embassies of that country.

“We are here to let the leaders of Cameroon know that though there are some folks who think the present leadership of Paul Biya must continue ruling the country, we are saying Paul Biya must go because he has been in power for more than 43 years; he is an old man; he can’t govern the country anymore; it is actually his cohorts who are governing the country in his name and this is very sad indeed,” lamented President of the Community of Cameroon in South Africa Tiawoon Yves Bruno.

He pointed out that President Paul Biya didn’t even physically campaign for the elections but that his cohorts campaigned on his behalf because he is too old to do anything worthwhile, let alone campaigning for the elections.

“It is not surprising that riots erupted in Cameroon and people were shot and killed as they are opposed to the re-election of President Paul Biya,” said Bruno.

“Service delivery is almost non-existent in Cameroon; people are poor and there are no jobs to speak of there,” lamented Bruno.

He pointed out that there is disunity in Cameroon because the country is divided into two groups; namely French- speaking Cameroonians and English-speaking Cameroonians all in one country and that there will never be peace in the country as the country is in a virtual civil war.

After hearing that Paul Biya has been re-elected, Bruno said Biya will be in power for the next seven years but must take into consideration the needs of the 46% of the voters who didn’t endorse him in the elections and be a father figure to all Cameroonians.

Leader of the opposition party in Cameroon Dr Marius Tchonang Pokaha told Tshwane Talks that “it doesn’t make sense that the old man (madala) has been re-elected because this means Cameroon is governed by old men who don’t want to give up power.”

A lady protestor bemoaned the fact that the re-election of Paul Biya means another seven years of killings, wars and suffering in Cameroon.

Mark Makanaky from Cameroon said he was shocked about the results and that he abd his countrymen are feeling pain in their bones and hearts.

“Election results have been falsified since 1982 in Cameroon and we have been suffering ever since and if this 93-year-old man wants us to go to war in order to remove him from power then we are ready for that; I am ready to die for a brighter future for my kid,” said another protestor.