Cameroun: Maurice Kamto challenges municipal term extension before constitutional council

Opposition leader Maurice Kamto accuses Cameroon’s government of constitutional breach following the extension of local councillors’ mandates.

Maurice Kamto, leader of the Mouvement pour la renaissance du Cameroun (MRC), has strongly condemned the recent extension of municipal councillors’ terms in Cameroon. This decision, formalized through a presidential decree on May 4, 2026, has prompted Kamto to file a complaint with the Constitutional Council, citing a violation of constitutional principles and democratic norms.

The opposition figure argues that the executive branch overstepped its authority by altering electoral laws without parliamentary consent. Specifically, he highlights the removal of the 18-month limitation on mandate extensions, a change introduced through a law passed on April 14, 2026—but one that lacks explicit retroactive provisions. According to Kamto, this omission renders the decree unconstitutional, as it retroactively applies to a period before the law’s enactment.

Under the previous legal framework, municipal mandates were set to expire on August 9, 2026. However, the new decree extended them until February 27, 2026, a move Kamto claims violates the constitutional principle of non-retroactivity. This principle ensures that laws only apply prospectively, not to past events.

The opposition leader, a constitutional law expert, asserts that as of June 1, 2026, municipal councils across Cameroon are operating in a legal void. He urges local executives to recognize this vacancy and take legal action to rectify the situation. Kamto’s complaint demands that the Constitutional Council compel the president to organize fresh municipal elections.

Yet questions linger about the effectiveness of such a challenge, given the Council’s historical reluctance to intervene in executive decisions or accept opposition petitions.