Former Biya Allies Join Cameroon Presidential Race as Opposition Remains Divided

Two longtime allies of Cameroon’s ruling party have declared their intentions to run in the upcoming presidential election, further reshaping the political landscape ahead of the July 21 deadline for candidate declarations.

Bello Bouba Maigari, a former prime minister and close ally of President Paul Biya for nearly three decades, has announced his candidacy under the banner of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP). Similarly, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, another political veteran, is also entering the race. Both men previously aligned with Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), which has held power since the country gained independence in 1960.

They join a growing list of contenders that includes Maurice Kamto—Biya’s fiercest critic and runner-up in the 2018 election—and Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR), a prominent opposition figure.

Despite mounting public discontent over high youth unemployment, rising living costs, and inadequate public services, the opposition remains fragmented. Analysts say the lack of unity among opposition parties could weaken their chances of unseating the ruling CPDM.

Cameroon also continues to grapple with sporadic violence, especially in its English-speaking regions, where separatist tensions remain high in the predominantly French-speaking country.