Decontextualized 2018 Fire Video Resurfaces Amidst Cameroonian Presidential Election
A video circulating online purporting to show a recent fire at the Palais des Congrès in Yaoundé, Cameroon, is in fact footage from an incident that occurred in October 2018, highlighting the potential for disinformation to influence the upcoming presidential election.
A surge of concern erupted online in early August 2025 with the spread of a 28-second video claiming to depict a fire at the Congress Palace in Yaoundé. However, a thorough investigation by AFP revealed the video to be a deceptive recirculation of older content, deliberately divorced from its original context.
Initial inquiries found no mention of a recent fire at the Palais des Congrès in credible Cameroonian news sources. This absence of coverage, for an event of such potential magnitude in the nation’s capital, immediately raised red flags. Further investigation revealed that the Palais des Congrès itself published a denial on Facebook on August 8, 2025, stating, “No fire situation has been declared” on their premises. The press service labeled publications claiming a fire as “fake news” and attributed them to “work of individuals with unochumized designs.” Archived link here
The investigation took a crucial turn when analysts focused on the audio within the viral video. A voice within the footage can be heard stating, “Last year, it was the National Assembly. Today is the Palais des Congrès,” suggesting a pattern of escalating incidents. However, records show the most recent fire at the Cameroonian National Assembly occurred in 2017. Archived AFP dispatch here This detail strongly indicated the video’s origins lay in 2018.
The same voice also references the “ISMAT,” or University Institute Matamfen. A targeted search using keywords “fire at the Yaoundé 2018 ISMAT Congress Palace” yielded multiple videos on YouTube and Facebook, strikingly similar to the circulating footage. Similar videos here These videos, all published in 2018, were demonstrably filmed by students of the institute. Archived link here
Ultimately, the original video was traced back to a publication on October 25, 2018. Archived video here A Facebook search conducted on August 12, 2025, confirmed the visual match between the circulating video and the 2018 footage, showing a white building on a hill with thick black smoke emanating from it. Screenshot of Facebook search results here
The Cameroon Tribune, the state-run media outlet, confirmed that a fire did occur at the Palais des Congrès on October 25, 2018, but it was contained to a warehouse separate from the main building. Cameroon Tribune article here The article further stated there were no casualties, attributing the incident to a “short circuit.”
The re-emergence of this 2018 video, therefore, represents a clear case of decontextualization, likely intended to sow discord and anxiety surrounding the current electoral process.
This incident unfolds against a backdrop of political tension in Cameroon, particularly following the rejection of Maurice Kamto’s candidacy for the upcoming presidential election. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed “concern about the credibility of the electoral process,” denouncing the decision as reflecting “the long-standing intolerance of the government with regard to any opposition and dissent.” Archived HRW link here The NGO also highlighted a pattern of increased repression targeting opponents, activists, and lawyers since mid-2024.
While Kamto’s candidacy was rejected, the electoral body approved the applications of Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation and Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front. However, the Cameroonian opposition remains fragmented, with a collective of parties announcing on August 2nd their intention to field a “consensual candidate” around a common program, though no name has yet been put forward.
Disinformation is a recurring feature of Cameroonian election cycles. AFP has previously debunked false information related to the 2025 presidential election and the 2020 legislative and municipal campaigns. Previous fact-checks here This latest incident underscores the ongoing need for vigilance and critical assessment of information circulating online, particularly as Cameroon approaches a pivotal moment in its political landscape.
