Cameroonian Opposition Leader to Face Court Action Over Election Unrest, Government Says
Cameroon's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has announced that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will undergo legal proceedings over claims that he instigated "aggressive post-election demonstrations".
At least four protesters have been fatally wounded during confrontations between security forces and protesters since Cameroon's election on 12 October, with the 92-year-old head of state obtaining an eighth term in office.
Tchiroma Bakary asserts that he was the true winner, a claim dismissed by the governing party, the ruling CPDM.
Aggressive responses by law enforcement on protesters have concerned the world leaders, with the UN, African Union and European Union demanding restraint.
Official's Allegations
Recently, the interior minister alleged the opposition figure of organising what he referred to as "unauthorized" protests resulting in the fatalities, and also rebuked him for claiming win in the electoral contest.
He further stated that Tchiroma Bakary's "associates involved in an insurrectionary plan" will also face legal action.
Election Results
The president, who took control in 1982 and is now the world's oldest head of state, won the October 12 election with a majority of the votes, compared to a significant minority for his opponent, according to the electoral authority.
Opposition Response
Tchiroma Bakary is yet to respond to the government's decision to prosecute him, but he had before announced that he refused to acknowledge a fraudulent outcome - and that he was not afraid of being detained.
Following the vote count, he claimed that gunmen used lethal force on demonstrators present near his residence in the city of Garoua, fatally wounding at least 2 civilians.
Investigation Announced
On Tuesday, the interior minister revealed that an investigation would be launched into clashes surrounding the announcement of the election results.
"During these attacks, some of the perpetrators were killed," he said, without providing a specific number of protesters who have been fatally injured in the clashes.
Nji noted that a number of officers of the security forces also sustained significant wounds.
Ongoing Circumstances
Although the interior minister maintained the condition across the country was now stable, protesters are still demonstrating in various areas of the country, especially in these two cities, where protesters established roadblocks on that day, and set fire to tyres on the roads.
Observers caution that the election-related unrest could lead the country into a governmental instability.