To my fellow Cameroonians and to democrats around the world, I write to you today not merely as a candidate who has fought for change, but as a son, father, and citizen whose hope is bound up with yours. My heart is heavy with gratitude for your unwavering courage and trust. In the darkest hours, you have stood tall, defying intimidation and state violence to claim the universal right to choose your leaders. I thank you, and I dedicate this message to the memory of those whose lives have been stolen by the greed of power.
On 12 October 2025, Cameroonians went to the polls, united by a desire for change after four decades under President Paul Biya. Our opposition campaign was a tidal wave—millions of voices, from North to South, East to West, demanding a new future. The truth of our victory is clear, recorded in the reports sent in by representatives at polling stations across the country; this was a massive nationwide effort, coordinated by our intrepid colleagues in civil society who painstakingly collected the true results from thousands of polling stations across Cameroon.
Our hope in a new dawn, however, was brutally snatched away. On 27 October, the Constitutional Council – bloated with arrogance and beholden to one man – announced falsified results, awarding Paul Biya a fraudulent victory. In a viral video, the president of this Council, who was literally intoxicated by celebration, bragged of “securing” the outcome for Biya.
The will of the Cameroonian people was trampled that day, our sovereignty stolen in broad daylight. This is not democracy. It is electoral theft, a constitutional coup as blatant as it is shameful. In Cameroon, the institutions meant to protect citizens’ rights have become tools of oppression, wielded for one end: the perpetuation of a single regime.
Forty-three years of misrule have taught our rulers contempt for the people and indifference to justice and human freedom. They do not listen; they do not serve. Against this backdrop, the 2025 election marks not just a clash of candidates, including myself, but a confrontation between life and mere survival, between hope and repression.
The aftermath of the 12 October election has been a tragedy. Security forces—those entrusted to protect and to serve us, the people—have unleashed violence upon peaceful demonstrators and my supporters. According to our own findings, upwards of 100 people have been killed, dozens wounded, and hundreds arrested in the days since the vote. In Douala, Garoua, Maroua, and across Cameroon, snipers have fired on crowds. Families weep for loved ones lost, recalling the terror of past crackdowns. I, too, weep with them.
Demonstrators, civil society leaders, and even children have been hauled away, some disappeared without a trace in clear violation of our constitutional safeguards and numerous international legal conventions to which Cameroon is a signatory. What’s more, my own family has been targeted; my home has been surrounded by shooters perched on neighboring rooftops. And two citizen defenders were slain as they tried to protect me.
Now, I call upon all defenders of democracy across the globe: Do not look away from the tragedy unfolding in my country. To be sure, the plight of Cameroonians is not isolated—it is a stand for the universal values of freedom and the innate right to self-determination.
I urge democratic nations, especially the United States, France, and democratic allies, to act with conviction going forward—to put words into action. The time for statements of concern, while appreciated, has surely passed us by; the time for meaningful action is now.
We specifically appeal for the imposition of targeted sanctions against those responsible for orchestrating and perpetuating human rights abuses in Cameroon, including electoral theft. This should include freezing the assets and imposing visa bans on senior officials and their associates implicated in the repression of peaceful protestors and the subversion of our electoral process.
Furthermore, we respectfully urge the U.S. government to restrict security assistance to Cameroon until there is clear evidence of reform and respect for the rule of law, and to conduct a thorough review of the U.S.-Cameroon relationship to ensure it aligns with America’s long-stated commitment to democracy and human rights. This move would not be unprecedented. Back in 2019, in the midst of a previous of crackdown, the Trump administration restricted and ultimately cut tens of millions of dollars in security assistance while revoking trade privileges for Cameroon due to ‘persistent gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.’
To my fellow Cameroonians: Your courage has undoubtedly shaken the foundations of tyranny. To the international community: Stand with us. Do not let the voices of millions be silenced by guns and decrees. Together, let us forge a new chapter for Cameroon—one of liberty, justice, and genuine democracy.
Issa Tchiroma Bakary is Leader of the Cameroon National Salvation Front and winner of Cameroon’s October 2025 presidential election according to parallel vote tabulations
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Vanguard Africa, the Vanguard Africa Foundation, or its staff.