Cameroon Decides 2025
Uncompromising Election Coverage from Hilltopvoices
The Ballot Box Calls
By the Hilltopvoices Editorial Team
For forty-three years, President Paul Biya has steered the destiny of Cameroon. In October 2025, he could once again be on the ballot. If he does run, it will be the eighth presidential election he contests since ascending to power in 1982. If he doesn’t, the nation will be entering uncharted waters, navigating a transition without precedent in the modern era of its politics.
Already, political currents are shifting. The National Assembly’s recent decision to postpone legislative and municipal elections until 2026 clears the electoral calendar to make the presidential vote the singular political event of 2025. That move concentrates national attention and raises the stakes exponentially.
In this high-stakes atmosphere, opposition forces are recalibrating. Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement and Biya’s closest challenger in 2018, has reignited his presidential ambitions. Armed with a six-billion-CFA campaign budget and a renewed ground network, Kamto’s strategy hinges on reclaiming contested urban strongholds and penetrating regions where his support was previously stifled.Same with the Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front (SDF)
Civil society groups and media coalitions have also taken up the charge, calling for broad-based opposition unity and intensified civic education. They recognise that 2025 is not simply a referendum on Biya’s leadership, it is a litmus test for the country’s democratic endurance.
Yet, serious challenges persist. Conflict continues to plague the North-West and South-West Regions, where armed separatists remain active and civic life is fragile. Religious leaders, notably Cameroon’s Catholic Bishops, have warned of electoral insecurity and urged government and armed actors to prioritise peace before politics.
In the digital sphere, disinformation threatens to poison public debate. False endorsements, manipulated videos, and fabricated poll results now circulate minutes after campaign announcements. In response, Hilltopvoices has endorsed the Yaoundé Declaration against disinformation and commits to rigorous fact-checking and media ethics throughout this electoral cycle.
It is against this volatile backdrop that we launch Cameroon Decides 2025—a dedicated election reporting initiative grounded in data, regional reportage, and civic journalism. Between July and October, we will:
- Report across the country, including conflict zones.
- Monitor the performance of election institutions, parties and civil society groups.
- Host interactive briefings, community forums and live fact-checks.
- Track voter registration, campaign finance, and media coverage trends.
- Provide a daily news updates.
We believe Cameroonians deserve more than slogans and speculation; they deserve clarity, context and commitment. Through this editorial desk, Hilltopvoices renews its mission to be the voice of the community, holding power to account and amplifying marginalised perspectives.
The election may last a day. But democracy is a daily duty. We urge every reader, voter, and citizen to follow this journey with us from the registration queues to the final result declaration. We begin in July. We go until the last ballot is counted. We are Hilltopvoices—and Cameroon Decides 2025 is our solemn watch.
Polling Regions at a Glance
