US Congress Members Blast Cameroon’s Stolen Election and Demand Urgent Action
By James Agbor BaretaNews Political Correspondent November 6, 2025
Yaoundé remains on edge as a powerful group of United States Congress members has directly challenged President Paul Biya’s regime over the deeply flawed October 12 presidential election. In a detailed letter sent on November 4 to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers described the vote as riddled with fraud and warned that the growing crisis now threatens not just Cameroon but the entire Central African region. They urged the US government to step in immediately to protect democracy, free political prisoners, and stop the wave of violence that has already claimed dozens of lives.
The letter arrives at a critical moment, just days before Biya’s scheduled inauguration and amid reports of security forces killing at least 48 civilians during protests that erupted after the results were announced. Major cities like Douala, Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Garoua have seen heavy military presence, with soldiers firing on crowds and carrying out mass arrests. The lawmakers made it clear that the world is watching and that America cannot stay silent while Cameroon slides toward collapse.
Clear Evidence of Election Rigging
The Congress members laid out a long list of problems that destroyed any trust in the election. They highlighted pre-stuffed ballot boxes, voters casting multiple ballots, and major errors in vote counting in key urban areas. Opposition leader Maurice Kamto was barred from running, independent groups like the Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (REDHAC) were shut down, and journalists along with activists were jailed without proper charges. Despite more than eight million people turning out to vote—a strong show of civic engagement—the atmosphere of fear and manipulation left the process in tatters.
Official figures gave the 93-year-old Biya, who has ruled for 43 years, 53.66 percent of the vote, while his main challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary received 35.19 percent. The lawmakers stressed that these numbers mean little when the foundation of a fair election has been eroded by government interference and repression.
Wave of Killings and Arrests After the Vote
Violence exploded in the days following the election, and the letter details some of the most shocking cases. On October 21, a teacher named Madam Zouhaira was shot and killed in Garoua. The next day, separatist fighters abducted and murdered parliament member Abe Michael. High-profile opposition figures such as Anicet Ekane, Florence Titcho, and Djeukam Tchameni—leaders in the Union for Change coalition that backed Issa Tchiroma—were rounded up along with several activists from the Cameroon National Salvation Front party.
In Douala, activist Fabrice Guera was seized by security forces. Professor Jean Calvin Abba Oyono, a close advisor to Issa Tchiroma, was taken from his home in Yaoundé, and his whereabouts remain unknown, marking what many call an enforced disappearance. Reports from the Associated Press indicate at least four people were shot dead in Douala during protests, with dozens more detained. The Cameroon Bar Association has condemned these actions as blatant violations of the rule of law and human rights across the country.
Anglophone Crisis Adds Fuel to the Fire
The lawmakers also drew attention to the long-running conflict in the North-West and South-West regions, where separatist violence since 2017 has displaced around 700,000 people and caused about 6,000 deaths. They warned that post-election unrest could pull military resources away from fighting groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa, allowing terrorists to regain ground. Ongoing clashes involving separatists, armed groups, and criminals risk reigniting full-scale war and spilling over into neighbouring countries such as Nigeria, Chad, and Gabon.
Why America Cannot Ignore This
Cameroon plays a vital role as a US partner in counterterrorism efforts and securing maritime routes in the Gulf of Guinea. However, persistent human rights abuses led Washington to remove Cameroon from the African Growth and Opportunity Act in January 2020. The Congress members argued that further democratic decline will only weaken these partnerships and create openings for terrorism, organized crime, and foreign meddling. A stable Cameroon, they said, is essential for safeguarding US strategic, economic, and security interests in an increasingly unstable region.
Specific Steps the US Must Take
To address the crisis head-on, the lawmakers outlined four key actions for the State Department. First, pressure the Cameroonian government to release all political prisoners and uphold basic freedoms. Second, ensure that those responsible for unlawful killings and arbitrary arrests—especially security personnel—are held accountable. Third, call on all sides, including the government, opposition, and civil society, to avoid violence and pursue non-violent solutions. Finally, support inclusive national dialogue mediated by trusted partners like the United Nations, France, the European Union, Chad, and Nigeria to ease tensions and pave the way for a peaceful transition.
They closed by requesting an immediate update on what steps the Department is already taking to defend American interests, promote peace, and push for accountability and better governance in Cameroon.
The Voices Behind the Letter
This bipartisan push carries significant influence, with signatures from well-known figures in Congress. They include Eleanor Holmes Norton from the District of Columbia, James P. McGovern from Massachusetts, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from Florida, Eugene Simon Vindman from Virginia, Yvette D. Clarke from New York, André Carson from Indiana, Jennifer L. McClellan from Virginia, Jonathan L. Jackson from Illinois, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove from California.
A Turning Point for Cameroonians
For the people of Cameroon, this letter represents one of the strongest international condemnations of Biya’s rule to date. In the English-speaking regions often referred to as Ambazonia, it validates years of calls for justice. For jailed opposition members and their families, it offers a glimmer of hope. And for everyday citizens weary of decades under one leader, it serves as a powerful reminder that change is possible when global pressure mounts.
BaretaNews has obtained and verified the original signed document. We urge all Southern Cameroonians, supporters of freedom, and concerned global citizens to spread this story widely. The regime’s actions are under scrutiny like never before, and the path to a freer, safer Cameroon starts with voices like these refusing to stay quiet.
James Agbor reports on Cameroon and the Ambazonia freedom struggle from exile for BaretaNews.
