Cameroon Mourns as Veteran Opposition Leader Anicet Ekane Dies in Detention

Cameroon has been shaken by the death of Anicet Ekane, a well-known left-wing opposition figure who died while in detention just five weeks after his arrest. Ekane, aged 74, was a leading voice within the coalition that backed Issa Tchiroma Bakary in October’s presidential election. Tchiroma Bakary has insisted he was the rightful winner of the vote, despite the official results declaring 92-year-old President Paul Biya victorious once again. The opposition candidate has since fled to The Gambia, citing concerns for his safety.

The circumstances of Ekane’s death remain unclear and deeply contested. Authorities have not released an official cause of death, and his party, the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy, known as Manidem, has accused the government of refusing to provide him with essential medication. The government forcefully denies this claim. A spokesperson for the party said Ekane’s condition deteriorated over the weekend and that he died on Monday morning at a military medical centre. According to him, the family received a sudden call urging his wife to come, only to be met with the shock of being shown his body without any explanation.

Cameroon’s defence ministry offered a different account. Spokesman Captain Cyrille Serge Atonfack said Ekane had a history of chronic illnesses and had been receiving proper medical care since his arrest on 24 October. He said the politician was treated by doctors at the Military Medical Centre of the National Gendarmerie, but did not elaborate further. Authorities have opened an investigation to determine exactly what happened.

Ekane’s legal team said he was accused of hostility against the state, inciting revolt, and calling for insurrection. However, his lawyers stated that he was never charged or brought before a judge. Attorney Hippolyte Meli described his detention as illegal and said the failure to follow due process violated basic legal protections. In the weeks leading up to his death, rumours had circulated that Ekane had already died, prompting supporters to demand proof that he was alive. Those fears have now turned into nationwide grief and outrage.

Following the announcement of his death, supporters gathered at Manidem headquarters in Douala to mourn, while many others expressed their anger online. Ekane had long been a prominent figure within Cameroon’s opposition politics. He initially supported Maurice Kamto, another leading critic of the government whose own candidacy was rejected by election officials. After setbacks in the nomination process, Ekane helped establish the Union for Change Coalition, which ultimately selected Tchiroma Bakary as its presidential candidate.

Political tensions in Cameroon have remained high following the election. The United Nations reported that at least forty-eight people were killed by security forces during protests challenging President Biya’s reelection. Several of those deaths occurred near Tchiroma Bakary’s home in the city of Garoua. Tchiroma has claimed that snipers positioned near his residence opened fire on civilians at close range.

Ekane’s death has intensified calls for accountability, transparency and political reform in a country long dominated by one of Africa’s oldest ruling leaders.