Cameroon, Tanzania...: Africa votes ageing leaders, then protests their return to power

Cameroon’s disputed re-election of 92-year-old Paul Biya has reignited Africa’s debate over ageing leadership, exposing the widening gap between entrenched rulers and increasingly restless younger populations. The protests erupting in Yaoundé mirror discontent across the continent, where citizens have returned long-time leaders to power, only to challenge the legitimacy of those very victories soon after.

The Biya backlash

In Cameroon, opposition leader Maurice Kamto has rejected Biya’s victory, alleging widespread fraud and vowing to resist what he called a “stolen mandate.” International observers have pointed to low voter turnout, a heavy security presence and restrictions on opposition rallies, all raising questions about the credibility of the electoral process.

Biya, who has ruled since 1982, now faces growing pressure from a generation that has never known another president. Despite state-controlled media portraying stability, the unrest reflects years of frustration over corruption, unemployment and human rights abuses.

WATCH: Cameroon: Protests Erupt After 92-Year-Old Biya Wins Eighth Term | Firstpost Africa | N18G

Elections without renewal

The political pattern playing out in Cameroon is familiar across Africa. Leaders such as Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, and Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi have all secured electoral wins amid accusations of manipulation, patronage or the misuse of state institutions.

These rulers, while emphasising stability and continuity, often extend their tenure by constitutional amendments or political deals that weaken checks and balances. The result: elections provide legal validation but rarely produce political renewal or public trust.

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What the data says

According to the latest Afrobarometer report (October 2024), public trust in African leaders and political institutions has fallen sharply over the past decade. Only 35 percent of citizens now express confidence in their heads of state, compared with over 50 percent ten years ago.

The survey also found that 70 percent of Africans believe their governments “do not listen” to ordinary people, while nearly half want term limits strictly enforced to prevent leadership stagnation. The findings highlighted the widening disconnect between rulers and the region’s youthful electorate — Africa’s median age is just 19.

The youth disillusionment

In countries like Tanzania, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has held uninterrupted power since independence, and a growing segment of young voters now view politics as closed and self-serving. Digital activism and urban protests once confined to isolated movements are fast becoming organised demands for transparency and generational change.

“The contradiction between voting and protesting the outcome highlights a legitimacy crisis,” explains political analyst Nanjala Nyabola. “Citizens participate in elections not necessarily out of trust, but because they have no genuine alternatives.”

Global caution, local anger

The international response to Cameroon’s turmoil has been cautious. Western governments have urged restraint and dialogue but stopped short of condemning Biya’s victory outright, wary of jeopardising relations with a key security partner in Central Africa.

Yet as demonstrations intensify in Yaoundé and other cities, analysts warn of parallels with uprisings in Sudan (2019) and Senegal (2024), both fuelled by resentment against ageing or entrenched rulers clinging to power.

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A crisis of democratic faith

For many Africans, the ballot box no longer guarantees change. The continent’s democratic challenge lies not in voter apathy but in leadership fatigue. As Biya marks over four decades in power and similar regimes endure elsewhere, the question is whether African democracies can regenerate from within or remain trapped in cycles of recycled leadership cloaked in electoral legitimacy.

With inputs from agencies