Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has confirmed opposition leader Maurice Kamto will not be allowed to run in the October presidential election.
The ruling upholds a decision made last month by the country’s electoral board, Elecam, to exclude Kamto from the race.
Kamto, 71, had appealed the decision within the two-day deadline.
However, the President of the Constitutional Council, Clement Atangana, confirmed the ruling on Tuesday in a decision that cannot be appealed.
Last month, Cameroon's electoral commission barred Kamto because he was running under the banner of the MANIDEM party, which also supported a second candidate.
MANIDEM president Anicet Ekane called it "a political decision. We take note of it.
"For the time being, we will not make a statement. We are reflecting on the decision and will decide," said Ekane.
After the ruling, Kamto did not comment.
Kamto – a high-profile critic of longtime President Paul Biya – came second in the 2018 presidential election as a member of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC).
Outspoken critic of Cameroon president excluded from October election
Disappointment and anger
Speaking to RFI, Emmanuel Simh, vice-president of the MRC – one of the main parties supporting Kamto – called the move a "massacre of Cameroonian law and democracy."
"The Constitutional Council of Cameroon has made a purely political decision," he said. "There is nothing legal about it. These advisers have failed in their oath. And I have the feeling that they decided to take instructions ... instead of taking their courage in hand and giving the Cameroonian people the decision that needed to be made, and the feeling we have is that this decision was written in advance."
Philippe Nanga, coordinator of Un Monde Avenir – a Cameroonian NGO which focuses on democracy and human rights – spoke to RFI from Douala via an online interview and described the situation as an attempt to "strangle democracy in our country".
"I agree with the view of those who believe that this is a more political decision than a legal one," he added.
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Lack of credibility
This comes as Human Rights Watch said in a statement last week that the electoral board's decision to exclude Kamto raised concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.
"Excluding the most popular opponent from the electoral process will leave a shadow over whatever results are eventually announced," warned Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Africa researcher at the international NGO.
This comes as dozens of protesters gathered at the entrance of the Constitutional Council on Monday in a show of support for Kamto but were dispersed by police firing tear gas.
Several people were detained and remain in custody, according to the police.
In the last election in 2018, current President Biya won by a landslide amid allegations of fraud, which he rejected.
Biya, now aged 92, has been in power for 43 years and is the world's oldest serving head of state. He announced last month his intention to seek re-election.
So far, Cameroon's Election Commission has approved 13 out of 83 prospective candidates, including Biya and former government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
The council must examine 36 requests before publishing the final list of presidential candidates.
(with newswires)
