Legal scholar and opposition leader Maurice Kamto accuses government of overstepping constitutional bounds with latest municipal mandate extension
The president of the Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC) has taken legal action against the government’s decision to extend the terms of local council members, a move he claims violates the country’s constitution. The dispute centers on a presidential decree issued on May 4, 2026, which prolonged municipal mandates beyond their original limits.
Kamto argues that the decree encroaches on legislative authority, as it grants the president the power to extend terms without parliamentary approval. His challenge hinges on the fact that the new law, enacted on April 14, 2026, lacks provisions allowing retrospective application—meaning its effects should not apply to completed or ongoing mandates.
Under the previous electoral code, municipal terms were set to expire by August 9, 2026. However, the decree extended them until February 27, 2026, a move Kamto asserts flouts the constitutional principle against retroactive laws. He emphasizes that legislation should only affect future actions, not past ones, and insists the decree is therefore null and void.
The opposition leader, a constitutional law expert, warns that as of June 1, 2026, municipal councils nationwide are in a state of legal vacancy. He urges local executives to recognize this irregularity and take appropriate legal steps regarding their own positions and the communities they represent. Kamto has formally petitioned the Constitutional Council to compel the president to call fresh municipal elections, a request that raises questions about the court’s willingness to intervene in such disputes.
