Yaoundé, Cameroon – anicet Ekane, a prominent Cameroonian opposition figure and president of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Manidem), has died in detention, his party announced Monday. Ekane, arrested October 24th in Douala, passed away this morning in Yaoundé, where he had been transferred following his arrest, according to Valentin Dongmo, Manidem’s vice-president.
The circumstances surrounding Ekane’s death remain unclear, though his lawyer, Emmanuel Simh, told Cameroon News that he succumbed to an illness. The news outlet reported that Ekane had been denied access to necessary medical equipment for over a month, potentially dating back to the time of his arrest.
Ekane was a key figure on the Cameroonian nationalist left and a supporter of fellow opposition member Issa Tchiroma Bakary. his arrest occurred on the eve of the official results of the presidential election, which saw Paul Biya, 92, extend his 42-year rule to an eighth term. Biya has been in power since 1982.
