The long-delayed elections of members of the National Assembly and municipal councillors in Cameroon have been scheduled for February 2027. Following two postponements, a presidential decree signed by President Paul Biya on Monday, November 9, 2026, has convened the electorate for the twin municipal and legislative elections on Sunday, February 7.
Elected in February 2020 for a standard five-year mandate, members of the National Assembly and municipal councillors have remained in office following multiple extensions of their mandates.
President Paul Biya has extended the mandate of the current municipal councillors twice. The first extension, decreed on July 24, 2024, prolonged their mandate by 15 months, shifting its expiration date from February 25, 2025, to May 31, 2026.
Following constitutional amendments in April that granted him further powers over the electoral timetable, Biya signed another decree on May 4, 2026, extending their mandate from June 1, 2026, to February 28, 2027.
The convening of the electorate is in keeping with Section 86 of the Electoral Code, which governs elections in Cameroon and stipulates that voters must be called to the polls by presidential decree at least 90 days before election day.
It is also in line with Section 169 of the Code, which provides that municipal elections must take place at least 20 days before the expiration of the mandate of sitting councillors – in this case, February 28, 2027.
In a separate decree, President Biya also renewed the mandates of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and 10 other members of the Electoral Board of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the country’s independent election management body, for another four years.
Under the decree, Enow Abrams Egbe retains his position as Chairperson of ELECAM, while Amugu née Abena Ekobena Appoline Marie, has also been renewed as Vice-Chairperson. Their previous terms of office expired in July this year.
