Tens of thousands of supporters gathered behind the esplanade of the Omnisports stadium in Douala on Sunday to listen to presidential candidate and former minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
Despite waiting for eight hours under the rain in Cameroon’s economic capital, the enthusiastic crowd vowed to vote for the Cameroon National Salvation Front candidate in the upcoming 12 October election.
“He is so beloved by the Cameroonian people, and I don’t think we’ve ever seen a crowd like the one today,” said supporter Mohamadou Hadji. “This is a great testament to the Cameroonian people’s support for Issa Tchiroma Bakary, to whom we promise a 100% victory on 12 October,” he added.
Issa Tchiroma arrived in Douala to a rousing welcome, surrounded by a sea of supporters after campaign stops in the English-speaking cities of Buea and Limbé. He addressed cheering crowds who had lined the streets awaiting his arrival.
During his speech, Tchiroma made a direct appeal to incumbent President Paul Biya, urging him to accept the will of the people on election night. “You will call your opponent, who was chosen by the people, to say, ‘Mr. President, I concede defeat. Congratulations, and today you will go down in history!’” Tchiroma told the crowd.
For many in attendance, the rally marked a defining moment in Cameroon’s political race. “All we want is for us to all vote for the same person [and] to monitor our votes and check our ballots, so that on the evening of 12 October, we can proclaim our own victory, and that President Tchiroma becomes President of Cameroon,” said supporter Taddoum Moïse.
The candidate also condemned threats he said he had received from the current administration and issued a stern warning to the territorial administration, electoral commission, and Constitutional Council, saying the people would demand his victory “by any means necessary” in the event of electoral fraud.
