Kamto challenges Cameroon’s municipal mandate extension at constitutional court

Legal scholar Maurice Kamto accuses Cameroon’s government of constitutional breach in extending local council terms

Maurice Kamto, leader of Cameroon’s opposition Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), has formally challenged the government’s decision to extend the mandates of municipal councilors. This follows a presidential decree issued on May 4, 2026, which Kamto argues violates both constitutional principles and democratic norms.

The controversy centers on the empiètement of executive authority over legislative functions. Kamto contends that the extension of councilors’ terms—originally capped at 18 months under the previous electoral code—was unlawfully authorized by a new law passed on April 14, 2026. While the law empowers the President to prolong mandates, Kamto points out it contains no provision for retroactive application, a critical omission he claims invalidates the decree.

Under the previous legal framework, municipal mandates were set to expire by August 9, 2026. Instead, the decree extended them until February 27, 2026. Kamto argues this violates the constitutional principle of non-retroactivity, which stipulates that laws may only apply prospectively, not to past actions. He asserts that as of June 1, 2026, municipal councils nationwide are operating in a state of legal vacancy, compelling local leaders to acknowledge this irregularity and take appropriate legal steps.

The opposition leader has petitioned the Constitutional Council to compel the President to call municipal elections. However, the efficacy of this legal challenge remains uncertain, given the Council’s history of dismissing similar petitions on technical grounds or declaring them inadmissible.