Cameroon opposition leader Kamto reportedly under house arrest

Cameroon

Cameroon’s opposition leader, Maurice Kamto, who lost the October 7 presidential election to president Paul Biya was arrested on Tuesday, according to the Africanews correspondent in Yaounde.

Africanews correspondent, Joël Honoré Kouam said Kamto, who heads the Mouvement pour la Renaissance du Cameroun (MRC) was arrested at the Nlongkak roundabout in Yaoundé, while leading a rally of his supporters in a protest.

Reports indicate that Kamto and other high-ranking party officials were released after hours in detention. Local media portals report that Kamto was specifically driven to his residence by security forces.

There is however conflicting reports as to whether with security detail stationed outside his residence, he is under some sort of house arrest. NO official communication has been made in that respect.

Kamto’s arrest happened a few hours after Biya was sworn-in for a seventh term, having been declared winner of the October 7 polls with 71% of votes cast.

The lawyer and former justice minister in Biya’s government has rejected the election results and called on his supporters to resist the ‘illegitimate’ government.

He officially became the central African country’s main opposition candidate after his party – under a coalition with one of Cameroon’s celebrated lawyers, Akere Muna – polled 13% of votes to place second in the elections.

Both men were in court where over a dozen petitioners sought the Constitutional Council to annul partially or totally results. The Council threw out the petitions on the basis that they lacked legal basis.

The Council agreed with the elections body, ELECAM and lawyers of the ruling party that the poll process was fair and credible despite being marked by violence and apathy in the English-speaking regions where separatist elements are battling with government forces.