As Cameroon braces for a tense presidential election on 12 October, the country’s authorities are set to intensify surveillance of digital spaces.
Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned at a recent press conference, in Yaounde, that the government is prepared to take legal action against the online spread of hate speech, fake news, and calls for insurrection.
He added that no one — journalist, influencer, individual, or teenager —would be spared, if they crossed the red line.
With viral misinformation, disinformation and incitement becoming increasingly prevalent online, the government says it is adopting a proactive strategy for digital surveillance.
A reinforced digital monitoring mechanism is to be put in place to track and prosecute the dissemination of inflammatory or false content, he said.
“We will hunt down seditious messages in the media and on social networks. Everyone will be held accountable for what they say, publish, or share,” Atanga Nji added.
He was joined in the press conference by Joseph Chebonkeng Kalabubsu, president of the National Communication Council.
Citing the 2018 presidential election, the minister said nearly 500 social media users – some as young as 16 – were arrested for spreading false information.
“This time, we won’t accept the excuse that children are being manipulated. Minors will no longer benefit from leniency if they reoffend,” the minister said.
Atanga Nji extended his warning to traditional media, heightening pressure on print, radio and TV journalists already navigating a shrinking space for press freedom, with concerns that the threat of legal repercussions could lead to self-censorship.
The warning was issued within days of Cameroon’s election management body, ELECAM, validating the candidacy of 92-year-old President Paul Biya, while disqualifying that of his main challenger, Maurice Kamto — a controversial decision that has heightened political tensions and drawn criticism from opposition groups and civil society.
The government maintains that the crackdown is necessary to safeguard national stability and bolster public confidence in the electoral process. However, critics think the measures are part of a broader effort to stifle dissent and control public discourse.
With the campaign season expected to be heavily fought online, the government’s aggressive tone signals a new chapter in Cameroon’s long-running battle over digital expression and media freedom.
Meanwhile, Atanga Nji claimed the recent hacking of his ministry’s official website was a coordinated act of cyber sabotage. While he did not specify who was behind the intrusion, the minister suggested the breach was part of a broader campaign to destabilise state institutions ahead of the presidential election.
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