Police end surveillance on Cameroon opposition leader, Maurice Kamto

Cameroon’s main opposition leader, Maurice Kamto, has left Douala for the capital, Yaoundé after police ended a two-day surveillance operation outside the apartment block where he was staying.

Officers had blocked Kamto from leaving the building on Sunday, stopping him from attending a planned meeting with members of his Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party.

The 71-year-old had returned from France, where he addressed thousands of Cameroonians living abroad at a political rally on 31 May. His remarks at the event, especially a pledge to protect President Paul Biya and his family if elected, drew sharp criticism from ruling party officials.

"When you do me the great of honour of entrusting me with the reins, you can be sure that nothing will happen to Biya and his family. Nothing. I guarantee it, I have no time for hatred. I [only] have time to build Cameroon with you," Kamto told the crowd in Paris.

Labour Minister Grégoire Owona dismissed the comments in a Facebook post, calling them “pathetic”. “What protection do they need? Which family are we talking about? Cameroon is not in danger,” he wrote.

Following Kamto’s return, security was increased in parts of Douala.

Police officers said they were under instructions to monitor the neighbourhood where he was staying, and media were blocked from filming in the area. On Sunday evening, video footage showed Kamto speaking to his supporters outside the apartment.

“As I speak, I’m still sequestered,” Kamto said, urging them to “go home in calm and dignity.”

Authorities also blocked access to the CRM party building in Douala, where the meeting was to take place, saying it was not authorised. Kamto denied this, insisting that both local authorities and security agencies had been informed in advance.

The opposition leader eventually cancelled the meeting and left the city on Monday.

Kamto plans to run in Cameroon’s upcoming presidential election later this year, challenging 92-year-old President Biya, who has ruled the country for 42 years but has yet to declare whether he will seek another term.

Kamto previously spent nine months in detention after the disputed 2018 election, when his supporters alleged the vote was rigged in Biya’s favour.

The government rejected those claims and accused Kamto of insurrection.

This year’s parliamentary elections have been delayed to 2026, and rights groups have condemned what they describe as increasing repression of political dissent in the country.

Kamto’s eligibility to contest the presidential election is uncertain. Under Cameroonian law, a political party must have elected representatives for its leader to run for president.

While the CRM had one senator in 2018, it currently holds no elected seats. Kamto could run as an independent but would need 300 signatures from designated figures across the country.

Still, Kamto insists there is “no legal obstacle” to his candidacy. CRM representative Guy Tassé told AFP the government was “trying to block the candidate they fear because he embodies real change”.

The political standoff comes amid ongoing violence in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, where a separatist conflict has raged for nearly a decade. The war has killed at least 6,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.