Biya's repeated long absences from Cameroon, mostly in Switzerland or in his home village in southern Cameroon, have been bitterly criticised. (Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty)
Local elections in Cameroon have been pushed back a year without explanation, according to a statement read out on state radio on Wednesday.
“The mandate of municipal councillors has been extended for a period of 12 months from October 15 2018,” said the decree signed by President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 35 years.
The elections were supposed to be held before the end of the year, in parallel with presidential and legislative elections.
No reason was given for the delay.
Legislative elections were also postponed earlier this month after Biya said that holding all three votes in the same period would be “difficult” due to “overlapping electoral operations”.
One of Africa’s longest serving leaders, the 85-year-old Biya could run for yet another presidential term in an election scheduled for October.
The presidential election will take place amid ongoing Boko Haram attacks in the far north of the country and unrest in its two English-speaking regions.
© Agence France-Presse