A low turnout of voters in Cameroon cast their ballots Sunday in a presidential election that had 23 different candidates, according to media reports.
Even though the elections are the first to be organized by an independent electoral board, many expect longtime leader Paul Biya, 78, who has been ruling the country for 29 years, to stay in power.
An international observer said that turnout had seemed low, and the head of a polling station said people are apathetic because they don’t believe any other candidate has a chance against Biya, AFP reported.
Biya himself exuded confidence that he would be reelected for a 6th term and defended allegations by opposition that the ballot was rigged. “I cannot say that there is such a thing as perfection but its performance has been positive. I am simply asking for the people’s indulgence over possible irregularities,” he said, according to the report
Biya said that a decline in poverty and an increase in as peace and prosperity will “only be realized if I am re-elected,” according to Reuters.
The voting process has been relatively peaceful with no reports of violence. In 2008, when Biya amended the constitution to remove restrictions on presidential terms, and dozens were killed in ensuing clashes.
In the past election in 2004 Biya got 70 percent of the vote while the next candidate, John Fru Ndi, received 17 percent. Fru Ndi is running in the 2011 elections.
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