Cameroonian Political Opposition Leader to Face Court Action Over Electoral Turmoil, Authorities Says
The nation's Minister of the Interior the interior minister has announced that political opponent Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action over allegations that he incited "aggressive post-election demonstrations".
No fewer than 4 protesters have been lost their lives during clashes between security forces and demonstrators since Cameroon's election on 12 October, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya obtaining an eighth consecutive term.
Issa Tchiroma maintains that he was the true winner, a claim disputed by the incumbent party, the ruling CPDM.
Violent crackdowns by security personnel on protesters have concerned the international community, with the UN, African Union and European Union urging restraint.
Minister's Claims
Recently, Nji accused Tchiroma Bakary of organising what he labeled "unlawful" demonstrations causing the deaths, and also rebuked him for declaring victory in the presidential race.
He noted that Tchiroma Bakary's "associates responsible for an subversive plot" will also undergo judicial processes.
Poll Figures
Cameroon's leader, who assumed office in 1982 and is now the world's oldest head of state, secured the October 12 presidential election with a majority of the votes, compared to a significant minority for Tchiroma Bakary, according to the constitutional court.
Opposition Response
Tchiroma Bakary is yet to respond to the official announcement to prosecute him, but he had before declared that he rejected a rigged election - and that he was not afraid of being arrested.
Following the vote count, he claimed that armed men used lethal force on protesters assembled near his home in the city of Garoua, fatally wounding at least 2 people.
Investigation Revealed
Earlier this week, the interior minister announced that an probe would be started into clashes before and after the publication of the election results.
"In the course of these incidents, some of the criminals lost their lives," he stated, without offering a precise figure of demonstrators who have been fatally injured in the incidents.
Nji added that multiple officers of the security forces also received significant wounds.
Present Conditions
While Nji insisted the condition nationwide was now stable, protesters are still demonstrating in various areas of the country, especially in these two cities, where demonstrators mounted obstructions on that day, and burnt rubber on the roads.
Analysts alert that the political turmoil could plunge the country into a governmental instability.