WHY PAUL BIYA’S 8TH TERM IS A FRENCH PROJECT, NOT A CAMEROONIAN CHOICE

WHY PAUL BIYA’S 8TH TERM IS A FRENCH PROJECT, NOT A CAMEROONIAN CHOICE

Introduction

Cameroon stands at a historic crossroads. After more than four decades in power, President Paul Biya’s pursuit of an eighth term has provoked outrage, skepticism, and despair among many Cameroonians. Yet, beneath the surface, this longevity in office is not simply the result of domestic politics or popular will. It is, above all, a French project—engineered, sustained, and imposed by France to maintain its neo-colonial grip on Cameroon.

The Weight of French Interests in Cameroon

France has never hidden its deep economic, political, and military interests in Cameroon. From oil and gas in the Bakassi Peninsula to timber, cocoa, and infrastructure contracts, French companies dominate key sectors of the economy. To safeguard these interests, Paris has consistently backed regimes that guarantee continuity rather than change. Paul Biya’s government has offered France exactly that—predictability and compliance, even at the expense of democracy and the wellbeing of Cameroonians.

Manipulation of the Democratic Process

Cameroon’s elections are notoriously flawed. Allegations of ballot stuffing, intimidation of opposition leaders, and total state control of the electoral commission have defined every presidential race. The eighth term is no different. While Cameroonians yearn for change, their voices are muffled by a system designed to maintain France’s chosen candidate in power. Behind closed doors, French diplomats and corporations lobby heavily to ensure that the status quo persists, because genuine democracy in Cameroon might threaten French economic dominance.

The “Puppet Master” Strategy

Paul Biya’s age and physical absence from Cameroon for long stretches in Switzerland symbolize not only his detachment from the people but also his role as a figurehead. He embodies France’s broader strategy in Francophone Africa: keep weak or compromised leaders in power who are dependent on Paris for survival. This strategy is not unique to Cameroon; it is a pattern replicated across Francophone Africa, from Chad to Gabon, until popular uprisings began to challenge it.

The Human Cost for Cameroonians

The French project of sustaining Biya in power has devastating consequences for ordinary Cameroonians.

Economic collapse: The CFA franc, controlled by France, limits Cameroon’s financial independence, while corruption and stagnation plague development.

Political repression: Opposition parties are silenced, journalists intimidated, and activists jailed.

Social despair: Youth unemployment, insecurity, and mass migration reflect a population that no longer sees hope at home.

In short, Biya’s eighth term represents not Cameroonian choice but Cameroonian subjugation.

The Rise of Pan-African Consciousness

Across Africa, citizens are awakening to the reality of neo-colonialism. From Mali to Burkina Faso, people are rejecting French tutelage and demanding sovereignty. Cameroon is not an exception. The calls for reform, liberation, and authentic leadership are growing louder. The struggle to end Biya’s long reign is not merely about replacing one man with another—it is about breaking free from France’s suffocating project and reclaiming Cameroon’s destiny.

Conclusion

Paul Biya’s eighth term is not the verdict of Cameroonian democracy. It is the product of French manipulation, driven by a desire to preserve economic and political dominance in Cameroon. The true choice of the Cameroonian people is liberation, sovereignty, and a new leadership that reflects their aspirations—not the continuation of a colonial project disguised as democracy.

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