Khaberni - Cameroon's President Paul Biya (92 years old) faces an unexpected challenge in his campaign for an eighth term, as a video on the "TikTok" platform in which his daughter Brenda Biya announces that she will not vote for him has gone viral.
Brenda shocked the country with her bold message before the elections scheduled for October 12, and is known for posting pictures showcasing her riding in a "Rolls Royce", wearing a diamond-studded "Rolex" watch, or traveling on a private jet.
In the video, wearing a loose jacket and her hair dyed pink, she said, “Do not vote for Paul Biya, not for me, but because he has made many suffer.”
She added, "I hope we get another president," announcing her abandonment of her family and their financial support.
Biya, who has ruled the country for 42 years, faces criticism for economic stagnation and political repression in a nation with a population of 30 million. Transparency International describes his government as one of the most corrupt in the world.
The World Bank report shows that the average income of a Cameroonian citizen is less than $5 a day, and the per capita GDP is lower than it was at its peak in 1986.
Since 2017, clashes between government forces and separatists in the English-speaking regions have killed more than 6,500 people, without significant international attention.
The President's Daughter Will Not Change the Election Results
Brenda has benefited from her father’s rule, as she attended a prestigious school in Switzerland and studied in California, where she posted about paying $400 to go to university in luxury cars.
The video, which Brenda posted in mid-September, has been viewed millions of times and rebroadcast by several local news networks in West Africa, but it is unlikely to affect the election results, given her father’s tight grip on power.
Paul Biya is expected to win again, which will extend his rule until he is nearly 100 years old. He has not named a successor, despite media speculation that his son Frank is being groomed for the position.
Mona Akira, a former official at Transparency International and a member of an alliance seeking to overthrow Biya, said, "The more corrupt the state, the more difficult it is to change the regime."
He added, “The infrastructure is in poor condition; the roads are dilapidated, and the capital Yaoundé looks like an open dump.”
Paul Biya has not responded to his daughter’s video, nor has his office responded to a request for comment. Brenda, however, declined to discuss the elections through her American lawyer Emmanuel Nsahaya.
Paul Biya had previously stated that his office takes the fight against corruption seriously, citing new measures last year to improve governance and affirming that fostering economic development is a priority in his campaign.
The United Nations has warned that arrests and threats targeting civil society and political opposition make it unlikely that the elections will be free and fair.
The Election Commission in July excluded Maurice Kamto, Biya's main political opponent.
