By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
President Paul Biya has set February 7, 2027, as the date for Cameroon’s twin Legislative and Municipal Elections. In a parallel move, he has also extended the mandates of members of the country’s electoral management body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM).
The convening of the polls and the renewal of ELECAM mandates were made public on Monday, November 9, following two separate presidential decrees signed by President Biya.
The announcement comes after more than two years of extensions for the current terms of Members of Parliament and Municipal Councilors due to successive delays in calling the elections. The mandate for Members of Parliament of the 10th Legislature was set to expire on December 20, 2026, following a mandate extension bill adopted on March 19, 2026.
Prior to this, a legislative reform targeted Article 170 of the Electoral Code—which previously limited how long the President could extend local mandates beyond their original term. Under the new law, that time limit was eliminated entirely. “This amendment removes any fixed deadline from Article 170,” the bill’s explanatory note stated.
However, the Presidential Decree of November 9 officially settles speculation regarding further postponements. It specifies that “the electorate is convened on Sunday, February 7, 2027, to proceed with the election of Members of the National Assembly and Municipal Councilors.” The decree further details that polling stations will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m.
In accordance with electoral law, political parties and candidates have 15 days—until November 24 at 11:59 p.m.—to submit their nomination files. Official electoral campaigning is scheduled to begin on January 23, 2027, leading up to Election Day on February 7.
Following the polls, the Constitutional Council will proclaim the results of the Parliamentary Elections within a maximum of 20 days from the closure of voting. For the Municipal Elections, the Council Supervisory Commission is required to declare results in each respective constituency within 72 hours of the polls closing.
