Opposition leader Maurice Kamto denounces constitutional breach over extended municipal terms in Cameroon
Maurice Kamto, leader of Cameroon’s Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC), has condemned the recent extension of municipal councilors’ terms through a presidential decree issued on May 4, 2026. He argues that the decree violates the Constitution by encroaching on legislative authority and undermining democratic principles.
Kamto specifically challenges the legality of the process that led to lifting the 18-month term limit previously set by the electoral code. A new law passed in April 2026 grants the president the power to extend municipal mandates beyond the original cap, but Kamto contends that the law lacks provisions for retroactive application. Without such clauses, the decree is legally unsound, he asserts.
The controversy stems from a shift in the timeline: under the previous law, municipal terms were set to expire by August 9, 2026, but the decree pushed the deadline to February 27, 2026. Kamto contends this retroactive enforcement breaches the Constitution’s principle of non-retroactivity, which states that laws should only apply prospectively.
As a constitutional law scholar, Kamto insists that since June 1, 2026, municipal councils nationwide are operating in a legal void. He calls on local executives to recognize this vacancy and act accordingly, warning that their continued authority lacks legal basis. The opposition leader has formally petitioned the Constitutional Council to compel the president to hold municipal elections, though past rulings suggest the Council may dismiss the challenge on procedural grounds.
