CAMEROON: Paul Biya starts seventh term

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has been sworn in for a seventh term. The 85-year-old, who has ruled the country for 36 years, pledged to uphold the “integrity” and “unity” of the country in a ceremony overseen by parliamentary speaker Cavaye Yeguie Djibril. Mr Biya secured 71% of the vote in the 7 October election but […]

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has been sworn in for a seventh term.

The 85-year-old, who has ruled the country for 36 years, pledged to uphold the “integrity” and “unity” of the country in a ceremony overseen by parliamentary speaker Cavaye Yeguie Djibril.

Mr Biya secured 71% of the vote in the 7 October election but opposition parties said the election was marred by fraud.

The ceremony was clouded by Monday’s kidnapping of 80 people, including 79 students, in a school in the restive North-West region.

The government and separatists – who are pushing for an independent state in mainly English-speaking areas – have been trading accusations as to who is behind the kidnapping.

More than 300,000 people have fled the violence in the North-West and South-West regions with some crossing the border into Nigeria.