The Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch has said it was about time the US reassessed its relations with Cameroon.
The Republican senator from Idaho said on Tuesday reacting to the October 12 presidential election that has seen the world’s second longest and oldest President, 92-year-old Paul Biya, has been declared the winner.
Jim Risch described the election as a “sham” designed to extend Biya 43-year rule.
The Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee accused the Biya regime of staging its own re-election.
On social media, Senator Risch laid out a scathing indictment, stating, “The corrupt Biya regime in Cameroon hunts its political opponents, enables Wagner’s illicit activities, and has created conditions for jihadist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS to thrive and fuel the Anglophone crisis.”
This critical perspective frames the election not as a democratic exercise, but as a mechanism of authoritarian continuity.
The outcome ensures that Biya, now the world’s oldest leader, will extend his tenure to 43 years. If he completes this new term, which would see him lead until the age of 99, he will have ruled Cameroon for half a century.
The senator’s condemnation extends beyond the electoral process itself, highlighting the severe human rights and security consequences of Biya’s rule. The regime stands accused of unlawfully detaining American citizens and fostering an environment where terrorism and a violent separatist conflict in the Anglophone regions can fester. The post-election period has been marred by significant violence, with Reuters reporting 48 civilians killed since the polls closed, underscoring the nation’s deep political fractures.
Senator Risch’s conclusion marks a potential turning point in international relations with Yaoundé: “Cameroon is not a U.S. partner and poses economic and security risks to the American people,” he stated, adding, “It’s time to reassess this relationship before the blowback gets worse.”
As Paul Biya prepares to be sworn in on November 6th, the ceremony will be a stark reminder to many Cameroonians and the international community not of a new beginning, but of an entrenched system that critics argue has prioritized power over peace, stability, and the democratic will of its people.
