Cameroon Opposition Leader to Face Court Action Concerning Election Unrest, Authorities Declares
The nation's Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji has declared that political opponent Issa Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action over claims that he provoked "violent electoral rallies".
At least 4 demonstrators have been fatally wounded during clashes between law enforcement and protesters since the electoral process on 12 October, with the 92-year-old head of state obtaining an eighth presidential mandate.
Issa Tchiroma maintains that he was the true winner, a assertion rejected by the incumbent party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Forceful measures by law enforcement on protesters have concerned the international community, with the United Nations, African Union and European Union calling for moderation.
Minister's Claims
Recently, Nji charged the opposition figure of planning what he referred to as "illegal" protests resulting in the loss of lives, and also condemned him for announcing success in the electoral contest.
He further stated that the opposition leader's "associates involved in an insurrectionary plan" will also face legal action.
Vote Outcome
Paul Biya, who assumed office in 1982 and is now the most elderly national leader, obtained the October 12 vote with over half of the ballots, compared to a significant minority for his opponent, according to the electoral authority.
Leader's Stance
Tchiroma Bakary is has not yet commented to the authorities' move to bring him to court, but he had previously declared that he refused to acknowledge a stolen vote - and that he was not afraid of being arrested.
Following the vote count, he said that security forces opened fire on demonstrators gathered near his residence in Garoua, killing at least 2 civilians.
Inquiry Launched
On Tuesday, the government official revealed that an probe would be started into clashes before and after the publication of the vote outcome.
"Throughout the violence, some of the individuals involved died," he said, without giving a specific number of demonstrators who have been killed in the confrontations.
The minister noted that multiple personnel of the law enforcement also received significant wounds.
Ongoing Circumstances
While the interior minister insisted the condition throughout Cameroon was now stable, protesters continue to protest in some parts of the nation, especially in these two cities, where protesters set up roadblocks on Tuesday, and burnt tyres on the roads.
Analysts caution that the post-electoral violence could plunge the nation into a leadership vacuum.