Left-wing Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in detention, five weeks after he was arrested, prompting a wave of shock and protest across the nation.
Ekane, 74, was part of an opposition coalition that endorsed Issa Tchiroma Bakary in the recent presidential elections. After the elections, which were officially won by 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya, Tchiroma Bakary fled to The Gambia claiming he was the rightful victor.
No official cause of Ekane's death has yet been disclosed. His party alleges that the government denied him access to necessary medication, a claim that officials deny.
According to a spokesperson from Ekane's party, the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Manidem), he died at a military medical facility after his health deteriorated over the weekend. “We have no clarification… His wife was just presented with the corpse,” they lamented.
Defence ministry spokeswoman Capt. Cyrille Serge Atonfack claimed Ekane succumbed to illness but provided little detail. “He had been well taken care of by doctors since his arrest on October 24,” he said.
Government spokesperson René Emmanuel Sadi expressed condolences to Ekane’s family and assured that he had received appropriate medical attention, announcing an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
Renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna called Ekane's demise “the extinguishing of a fierce and passionate flame” that embodied the struggle for democratic rights in Cameroon. Muna noted that Ekane had communicated his health struggles in their last conversation.
Ekane, who had been facing accusations of hostility and incitement to revolt, was never formally charged or brought before a judge, a situation his lawyers criticized as illegal detention.
The aftermath of Ekane's death has incited protests and gatherings as supporters mourn outside the Manidem party headquarters, demanding accountability and reform. Reports indicate an intensifying security presence around the party premises.
As the nation grapples with the implications of Ekane's death, tensions remain high following a series of violent clashes between security forces and protestors, which left dozens dead in the wake of the disputed elections.
