Biya makes first major campaign stop as Cameroon's election nears

Cameroonian President Paul Biya, 92, made his first major campaign appearance on Monday in Maroua in the Far North region as voters prepare to go to the polls on Sunday, October 12. Biya, who has led the country since 1982 and is seeking an eighth seven-year term, addressed supporters at a stadium five days before the vote, pledging to tackle youth unemployment, support women and boost infrastructure while asking for renewed backing.

"My determination to serve you remains intact," Biya told the crowd, adding that his goal was "for every young person, wherever they are, to easily find a job or start a business." Organizers said nearly 25,000 people were expected at the rally, but correspondents at the event estimated only a few hundred attended. Maroua, near the borders with Nigeria and Chad, is a key battleground with a large voter roll and regular attacks by the armed group Boko Haram.

Across the north, thousands gathered to support opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary in his own campaign events. Bakary, 76 and a former government minister, said his team had mechanisms in place to monitor results quickly and that he was confident of victory. "Once results are in, I will...