Cameroon opposition leaders call out Biya’s govt over Anicet Ekane’s death

The death of Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane in detention on Monday has triggered a storm of condemnation from opposition parties, activists, and civil society, with many accusing President Paul Biya’s government of responsibility for what they describe as a “premeditated political execution.”

Ekane, 74, leader of the African Movement for the New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM), died on December 1 at the medical centre of the National Gendarmerie in Yaoundé, five weeks after his arrest in Douala.

His party confirmed the death, saying he had been transferred to the State Secretariat for Defence (SED), where he was held under investigation for “hostility against the nation, incitement to revolt, and calling for protest.”

Valentin Dongmo, MANIDEM’s vice president, told AFP on Monday, “Anicet Ekane died this morning in Yaoundé, where he had been transferred after his arrest at the end of October in Douala.”

The strongest reaction came from Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who declared himself president‑elect after Cameroon’s disputed October 2025 polls.

In a statement from Yaoundé, he described Ekane’s death as “marked by an indescribable legal and human brutality.”

“Cameroon has lost a man. I have lost a brother,” Bakary said. “Anicet Ekane died in the jails of a regime that has no language left but humiliation, no strength left but brutality, no legitimacy left but fear.”

He alleged that Ekane’s oxygen equipment was confiscated despite his chronic respiratory condition, leaving him to “struggle for every breath… until the irreparable occurred.”

Prominent activist and academic Professor Jean Bahebeck also condemned the circumstances leading to his death. “My heart is heavy over the tragic death of Comrade and friend Anicet Ekane while in detention at the SED. Depriving a citizen of vital healthcare, especially when their health condition is known, is an inexcusable fault of the State,” he said, demanding a transparent investigation and reforms to protect detainees’ rights.

The Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), led by former presidential candidate Maurice Kamto, accused the government of deliberate murder.

Acting president Mamadou Mota described Ekane’s death as “the execution of a premeditated political sentence carried out in the putrid cells of the SED, an antechamber of death.”

The MRC alleged Ekane was arrested without a warrant and denied medical care. “This, and this alone, sealed his death sentence within the circles of power,” the party declared.

Cabral Libii’s PCRN party joined the chorus, calling Ekane an “unforgettable pioneer and forerunner in the struggle for a fairer and more prosperous nation.” It demanded a “serious and thorough investigation” into the conditions of his detention.

Meanwhile, defence ministry spokesman Capt Cyrille Serge Atonfack said Ekane had suffered from chronic illnesses and was “well taken care of by doctors.”

Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi expressed condolences to Ekane’s family and party, adding that an investigation had been launched to determine the exact circumstances of his death.

Cameroon’s disputed elections

Ekane’s arrest came in the aftermath of Cameroon’s October 12 presidential election, which deepened political divisions in the country.

Official results declared 92‑year‑old incumbent Biya the winner, extending his decades‑long rule.

However, opposition candidates Bakary and Kamto both claimed victory, alleging widespread fraud.

Ekane was among the opposition leaders who endorsed Bakary’s candidacy, a move that reportedly drew the ire of authorities.

Bakary has since fled to The Gambia, insisting he was the rightful winner. The disputed election has left Cameroon’s political landscape fractured, with opposition figures facing arrests, intimidation, and now, the death of one of their own.

Implications

Ekane’s death has sent shockwaves across Cameroon. Supporters gathered at MANIDEM headquarters in Douala to grieve, while security forces reportedly surrounded the premises.

Online, citizens vented anger at what they see as the government’s disregard for human rights.

Renowned lawyer Akere Muna described the death as “the extinguishing of a fierce and passionate flame that burned for democratic emancipation.”

He argued that Ekane should have been released to his family, given his failing health. “One would have thought that basic humanity, the fundamental presumption of innocence, and the undeniable evidence of his failing health would have compelled his release,” Muna said.

Observers warn the incident could galvanise opposition movements and deepen public mistrust of Biya’s government. With Cameroon already facing security challenges in its Anglophone regions and economic pressures, the death of Ekane risks becoming a rallying point for dissent.

As investigations proceed, opposition leaders insist that Ekane’s death must not be forgotten. They argue it reflects a broader pattern of repression under Biya’s rule and underscores the urgent need for reforms to protect political freedoms and detainees’ rights.

For many Cameroonians, Ekane was more than an opposition figure. He was, in Bakary’s words, “a free voice, a pioneer, an indomitable conscience, one of the architects of democratic transition.”

His death in detention has now become a symbol of the struggle for democracy in Cameroon.

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