BREAKING: Nation Erupts in Flames as Biya’s Controversial Election Victory Sparks Widespread Anarchy

13/October/2025#lcctv news

YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON – Cameroon is teetering on the brink of a major crisis tonight, as cities across the nation are engulfed in violent protests following the announcement of preliminary results indicating a landslide victory for 92-year-old President Paul Biya, extending his 43-year rule for another seven-year term.

The electoral commission’s declaration has acted as a catalyst, unleashing a torrent of pent-up fury from a generation of Cameroonians who have known only one leader. What began as scattered demonstrations quickly escalated into a conflagration of public anger, with reports of government buildings, party offices, and symbols of state authority being targeted and set ablaze.

In the capital, Yaoundé, and the economic hub, Douala, the scenes are chaotic. Thick plumes of black smoke obscure the skyline as young protesters, their faces masked with scarves, clash with riot police. The sound of gunfire, both live ammunition and tear gas canisters, mixes with the roar of flames and the chants of enraged citizens.

“We are not celebrating a victory; we are witnessing the funeral of our democracy,” shouted one protester in Douala, who identified himself only as Jean for fear of reprisals. “For 43 years, he has built nothing but his own palace. We have no light, no water, no jobs. This is not an election; it is an insult.”

The central complaint from the opposition and protesters is one of systemic electoral fraud. Maurice Kamto, Biya’s main rival, had already preemptively claimed victory based on his campaign’s tallies and has called the official results “a grotesque parody of democracy.” His supporters are now on the front lines of the protests.

The targets of the protesters’ wrath are symbolic of the state they feel has neglected and oppressed them. Witnesses and social media footage, though difficult to verify due to government restrictions, show:

 Local offices of Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC) have been torched in multiple districts. Tax offices and municipal buildings, seen as centers of corruption, have been vandalized. Main arteries in major cities are blocked with burning tires and debris, creating a standoff with security forces who are attempting to clear the streets with force.

The government has responded with a heavy hand. A military convoy has been deployed in restive neighborhoods, and a dusk-to-dawn curfew is being enforced. Internet disruptions, a common tactic used by the government during periods of unrest, have been reported, severely limiting the flow of information.

The international community is watching with growing alarm. The United States and the European Union have issued statements expressing “deep concern” over the electoral process and the subsequent violence, calling for restraint from all sides and an independent investigation into the allegations of fraud.

For his part, President Biya, who is one of the world’s oldest and longest-serving leaders, has remained silent since the results were announced. He is expected to give a speech calling for “calm and unity,” but for the thousands of Cameroonians burning down symbols of his rule, such appeals are likely to fall on deaf ears.

As night falls, the nation holds its breath. The burning streets are not just a protest against an election result; they are the explosive manifestation of decades of economic despair, political marginalization, and a desperate cry for change from a youthful population that feels it has no future under the enduring shadow of Paul Biya.

by Y.Emma#lcctv news reporter