The President of the Republic of Cameroon still has two days to convene the electoral body or make another decision regarding the upcoming municipal elections.
For several weeks, Cameroonians interested in politics and especially the electoral calendar for 2026 have been awaiting a signal from President Paul Biya. The Head of State is expected to convene the electoral body and set the date for the legislative and municipal elections, following the extended terms of the deputies and municipal councilors. Reading the legal provisions on the matter and performing calculations based on the end of the term of office of municipal councilors, the convocation of the electoral body for the municipal elections should take place on February 10, 2026.
Read also: Cameroon: FSNC central committee clarifies its position on participation in the next elections
In this context, political actors are on alert, scrutinizing every presidential act to be informed about the next steps. Yesterday, Sunday, MP Cabral Libii launched the countdown, specifying that by Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at the latest, “the President of the Republic will sign a decree either to convene the electoral body or to extend the term of office of municipal councilors by a few weeks.” The question that arises is whether a new extension would be legal. Before the end of the term of office of municipal councilors in 2018, the President of the Republic issued a decree to extend this term by 12 months. Paul Biya later issued another decree to extend the term by another four months before deciding to hold the elections on February 9, 2020.
Read also: Cameroon: Francis Gaël Touna re-elected mayor of Obala
In the event of a new extension, the duration could not exceed three months, as the first extension granted an additional 15 months to the municipal councilors elected in 2020, whose term was due to end on February 25, 2025. The Electoral Code, in its Article 170 (1 and 2), provides for an extension of the term of office of municipal councilors for a period not exceeding 18 months. This extension is made in cases of necessity by decree of the President of the Republic after consultation with the government and the Bureau of the Senate.
Read also: Around 4.5 million girls at risk of female genital mutilation worldwide in 2026
