At least four people were killed on Sunday in Cameroon’s largest city, Douala, as violent clashes broke out between opposition supporters and police ahead of the country’s presidential election results.
The unrest, which spread through several neighbourhoods, underscored growing anger over alleged vote manipulation and years of political stagnation under President Paul Biya’s rule.
The violence erupted after supporters of opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma, who insists he defeated Biya in the October 12 election, defied a government ban on protests and took to the streets.
Hundreds of demonstrators blocked roads, set tyres ablaze and hurled stones and other projectiles at security forces, Reuters reported.
In response, the police fired tear gas and deployed water cannon to disperse the crowd.
Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, the governor of the Littoral region, told the AFP news agency that the protesters went on to attack police stations in the second and sixth districts of the city.
“Several members of the security forces were wounded, and four people unfortunately lost their lives,” he said.
Tchiroma’s campaign also confirmed the deaths.
Partial results reported by local media indicated that Biya, aged 92, was on course to win an eighth term in office.
However, Tchiroma claimed he won 54.8 percent of the votes against Biya’s 31.3 percent, and had earlier urged Cameroonians to protest if “falsified and distorted results” were announced.
Cameroon’s government has rejected the opposition’s allegations of irregularities and called on citizens to await the Constitutional Council’s official results on Monday.
Protests have since spread to several other cities, including Yaounde, Garoua, Maroua, Meiganga, Bafang, Bertoua, Kousseri, Yagoua, Kaele and Bafoussam.
Speaking from Douala, journalist Blaise Eyong told Al Jazeera that the country’s youth were “furious” over the alleged vote rigging by Biya’s camp.
“You can really see the frustration and anger when you talk to young people,” he said, adding that high unemployment and recent internet disruptions have not stopped youths from mobilising.
Earlier on Sunday, Tchiroma’s campaign manager said authorities detained about 30 politicians and activists who supported his candidacy, including Anicet Ekane of the MANIDEM party and Djeukam Tchameni of the Union for Change movement.
Cameroonian Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji said arrests were made in connection with what he called an “insurrectional movement.”
Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, is the world’s oldest serving leader.
Another seven-year term could keep him in power until nearly 100. Tchiroma, a former minister and one-time Biya ally, has vowed not to accept any other result.
