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CameroonOnline.ORG | A call for three days of nationwide “ville morte” (ghost town) by opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, officially declared the runner-up in Cameroon’s October 12 presidential election, was widely observed across several regions, particularly in the country’s north, according to a report by TV5MONDE Info.
Silence in the streets
In cities such as Garoua, Maroua, and Ngaoundéré, the atmosphere on Monday was one of near-total paralysis. Shops stayed closed, classrooms were empty, and public transport was at a standstill.
Garoua, long considered Tchiroma Bakary’s political stronghold and the symbolic heart of the post-election protest, saw deserted streets and unopened markets. Even long-haul trucks transporting goods between Douala and Chad remained parked in several localities along the route.
Clashes in Banyo
Tensions, however, flared in Banyo, where clashes broke out after the prefect, accompanied by security forces, attempted to seal off businesses that had joined the shutdown. The situation deteriorated rapidly as residents erected barricades, and the local headquarters of the ruling CPDM party of President Paul Biya was set on fire.
Government condemnation
In an official statement released on Sunday, Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi strongly condemned the opposition’s calls for civil disobedience, describing them as “incitements to insurrection” capable of threatening public peace and national stability.
The minister urged citizens to remain calm, exercise discernment, and act responsibly, insisting that the presidential election “is now behind us.”
A divided nation, a contested legitimacy
While the government denounces the movement as a dangerous provocation, supporters of Issa Tchiroma Bakary maintain that the ghost town action is a peaceful and legitimate form of protest against what they continue to call a stolen election.
In several parts of Cameroon, especially in the north, the silence of the streets has become a political message of its own—a symbolic rejection of the status quo and a reminder that the contest over the country’s leadership is far from settled.
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