By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Internet access across Cameroon has been significantly impacted following widespread demonstrations after the country’s disputed presidential election held earlier this month, internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks confirmed on Wednesday.
It warned that “major and ongoing disruption” to connectivity could hinder the flow of information and limit media coverage of unfolding events.
The disruption is not unconnected with the escalating protests in major cities after the Constitutional Council on Wednesday dismissed all petitions challenging the October 12 presidential election results in which the incumbent President Paul Biya was declared as provisional winner.
The decision clears the path for the formal announcement of results in which the 92-year-old who has been President since 1982 will be affirmed as winner.
Despite allegations of irregularities in the election by the opposition and civil society organisations, Biya is poised to extend his 43-year tenure amidst growing agitation among dissatisfied citizens.
Opposition has also alleged ballot manipulation, voter intimidation, and limited transparency in the counting process.
Protests have erupted in several urban centers, including the capital Yaoundé, Douala, and northern cities such as Maroua and Garoua, following announcement of Biya as provisional winner.
Clashes between security forces and opposition supporters have been reported, with eyewitnesses describing scenes of tear gas deployment and arrests.
NetBlocks stated in an email to Reuters that its data showed a “significant and sustained impact” on national connectivity since Wednesday evening, with disruptions affecting both mobile and fixed-line services.
It noted that the timing of the outage coincides with rising political unrest, suggesting an intentional effort to restrict information flow.
The Cameroonian government has not issued an official statement regarding the internet outages or the ongoing protests.
Authorities have previously imposed connectivity restrictions during periods of political tension, including in the English-speaking regions affected by separatist unrest.
