Move is latest in a series of concessions from President Paul Biya, who is under pressure over a crackdown on dissent.

Maurice Kamto, Cameroon’s main opposition leader, has walked free from prison nine months after his arrest for leading protests against an election result he had denounced as fraudulent.  

A military court in the country’s capital, Yaounde, ordered the former presidential candidate’s release on Saturday at the behest of long-time President Paul Biya, who is under intense international pressure over a sweeping crackdown on opposition parties.

Kamto, the leader of the opposition Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon, was greeted by hundreds of supporters as he was driven away surrounded by a dozen-strong escort of vehicles

“We note the release of our clients who should not have been in prison. Maurice Kamto is free,” said his lawyer, Sylvain Souop. 

Earlier on Thursday, his supporters chanted “Freedom! Freedom! We are free!” as they waited for him outside the court building in the capital, Yaounde. More than 100 members of Kamto’s party were also ordered freed. 

Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris, reporting from Yaounde, said “regions will have more revenue to run their day-to-day activities, as well as execute projects” and residents will eventually be able to vote for their own officials directly, including governors who were previously appointed by the federal government.

While Biya’s government and the main opposition has welcomed the recommendations as a good first step, several separatist rebels have already indicated that they remain unimpressed.

Ebenezer Akwanga, a prominent leader, said the people of self-described Ambazonia – the country the separatists want to carve out of Cameroon – did not “need a special status”.

“We don’t want to be a part of Cameroon,” he said.

“Ambazonia is marching to freedom and nothing can stop us.” 

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