Cameroon’s 92-year-old president makes first election campaign appearance

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya connected Monday made his archetypal large quality of the predetermination run successful his tally for an eighth consecutive word arsenic the world’s oldest caput of state.

With 5 days to spell earlier the vote, Biya — aged 92, and successful powerfulness since 1982 — addressed supporters astatine a stadium successful Maroua, successful the Far North region, AFP journalists saw. It was his archetypal nationalist quality since May of this year.

“My determination to service you remains intact,” helium told the assemblage of respective 100 supporters from the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement. “I inquire you erstwhile again for your precious support.”

His 25-minute code focused connected youth, women and infrastructure.

“My extremity is for each young person, wherever they are, to easy find a occupation oregon commencement a business. No young person, whether they are a postgraduate oregon not, volition beryllium near behind,” helium said.

Organizers said astir 25,000 radical were expected astatine the rally, but lone a fewer 100 showed up, AFP correspondents contiguous estimated.

Maroua, a metropolis bordering Nigeria and Chad, is simply a cardinal electoral battleground with 1.22 cardinal registered voters, but regularly affected by attacks from the jihadist radical Boko Haram.

Maurice Kamto, an absorption fig whose candidacy was rejected successful August, has called connected voters “to ballot freely” aft the nonaccomplishment of discussions for a unified absorption candidacy.

AFP

The station Cameroon’s 92-year-old president makes archetypal predetermination run appearance appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.