Dr Fomunyoh weeps for Cameroon’s limping democracy.

He offered a deep critical assessment of the country’s 2025 electoral crisis and what it reveals about the broader state of democracy across Africa. 

Speaking on Nigeria-based global news channel, Arise News, Dr Fomunyoh argued emphatically that “…what happened in Cameroon on October 12, 2025, is not a democracy”. He stressed that the situation should alarm anyone concerned with the future of governance on the continent.

According to the global governance expert and philanthropist, the failure of institutions, the erosion of accountability, and the blatant disregard for public expectation reflect a democratic order in freefall. 

The Cameroonian lamented the growing frustration among Africans; especially the youth, whose aspirations he said continue to be ignored. 

Drawing attention to the stark demographic reality, Dr Fomunyoh remarked on the absurdity of a “93-year-old individual seeking another seven years to serve as President in a country where the median age is 19”.

For the pro-democracy advocate, the generational mismatch symbolises the deep disconnect between leadership and citizenry.

Dr Fomunyoh, during his outing on Arise News, further underscored that a significant portion of the Cameroonian population does not believe President Paul Biya won the election, noting that “there are figures out there that show Issa Tchiroma garnered more votes on election day”.

Such claims, Dr Fomunyoh said, are part of the reason “the story on Cameroon’s election hasn’t ended quite yet”, as questions over legitimacy continue to grow, both domestically and internationally. 

In his analysis, Dr Fomunyoh said Biya faces an almost insurmountable challenge in trying to reclaim credibility after an election, he said, was marred by controversy, mistrust, and allegations of manipulation.

Dr Fomunyoh also provided a blunt description of Biya’s decades-long grip on power, asserting that the President has survived through a system rooted in “corruption and sheer brutality”.

He further accused the regime of weaponising State institutions against political opponents, explaining that Biya has relied on “patronage networks and the instrumentaliSation of the justice system and security services” to suppress dissent. 

The said repression, he noted, has driven many opposition leaders; either into prison or into exile, further weakening the democratic fabric of the nation.

Beyond Cameroon, Dr Fomunyoh regretted that democratic decline across Africa is becoming normalised. 

He stressed that Africa cannot afford a future where elections merely legitimise authoritarian continuity, rather than serve as a true expression of the people’s will. 

Dr Fomunyoh said the growing disillusionment among Africa’s youth, the continent’s largest demographic group, is particularly dangerous, as governance systems increasingly fail to reflect their aspirations.

The NDI senior official did not fail to comment on the conflicts in the English-speaking Regions of Cameroon, which he believes as reported by the Norwegian Refugee Council, is under-reported. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3638 of Thursday November 27, 2025