The Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned President Paul Biya-led government intolerance to political opposition and dissidents, ahead of Cameroon’s October 12 presidential election.

Calling for a reversal of the electoral decision against some candidates, including leading opposition candidate, Maurice Kamto, Senior Africa Researcher at HRW, Ilaria Allegrozzi, accused the Cameroonian government and the electoral commission of attempts to shrink the country’s democratic space and reduce the approaching election to mere formality.

Ms Allegrozzi said, “The election commission has raised doubt on an election before the votes are even cast. Excluding the most popular opponent from the electoral process will leave a shadow over whatever results are eventually announced.”

Previously on Saturday, the Cameroon Election Commission excluded Maurice Kamto, a top opposition figure, from participating in the forthcoming presidential election, on the ground that his party, the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM), was also filing another candidate, Dieudonné Yebga.

Affirming the candidacy of Maurice Kamto, MANIDEM party’s president, Anicet Ekane, slammed the electoral commission decision, calling it arbitrary and politically motivated.

Also reacting, Mr Kamto’s legal representative, Menkem Sother, following submission of a filed petition, stated that the electoral commission’s action was illegal and orchestrated to remove competition in the election.

“ELECAM’s decision has no legal basis and only aims at eliminating a key challenger from the elections, supporting the ruling party’s long-term strategy of power confiscation,” Mr Sother said. 

The Human Rights Watch urged the country’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya, running for an eighth term, to respect citizens’ right to expression, association and peaceful assembly.

“The election commission’s decision de facto reduces the upcoming vote to a mere formality, buries what remains of Cameroon’s democracy, and triggers fears of renewed violence. The commission should reverse its decision and allow Cameroonians to decide their own future,” Ms Allegrozzi stated.