The Cameroonian presidential election of October 2025 continues to generate analysis and reflection, almost a year after the vote. Daniel Essissima's book, "Les ombres d'une élection présidentielle contestée au Cameroun-octobre 2025" (Shadows of a Contested Presidential Election in Cameroon - October 2025), examines the facts, figures, and behaviors that marked this election, as well as their consequences for Cameroonian democracy.
Essissima focuses particularly on the post-election demonstrations and challenges to the results that followed the October 12, 2025 election. His essay explores the doubts and inconsistencies that persist around the electoral process in Cameroon, casting a shadow on the legitimacy of democracy in the country. The author examines the disturbing patterns, contradictory figures regarding the results, missing minutes, unexplained statistical gaps, and opaque electoral practices that contributed to sowing confusion and masking the truth of the ballot box.
Beyond simply listing the irregularities surrounding the October 2025 presidential election, Essissima highlights the structural flaws that undermine public confidence in the Cameroonian electoral system. The publication of this essay comes in the context of a post-electoral crisis in Cameroon, marked by demonstrations, deaths, detentions, and destruction of public buildings. This violence, motivated by challenges to the results and denunciations of irregularities, revealed a deep crisis of confidence between citizens and the electoral system.
Essissima argues for an overhaul of the Cameroonian electoral system to guarantee free, fair, and transparent elections. The 2025 presidential election saw the contested re-election of President Paul Biya, 92, who has been in power since 1982. Official results gave Biya 53.66% of the vote, while his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, received 35.19%. Tchiroma denounced massive fraud and even claimed victory. Demonstrations broke out in several cities, leading to clashes with security forces and resulting in casualties.
Daniel Essissima's book, published on March 19, 2026, is available on Amazon for 7.90 euros, or 5,182 CFA francs. This 108-page essay offers an in-depth analysis of the issues and challenges related to the electoral process in Cameroon, in a political and social context marked by persistent tensions.
