In his Monday political editorial aired on Radio Tiémeni Siantou (90.5 FM in Yaoundé and Bafang), commentator Eric Boniface Tchouakeu questions the significance of President Paul Biya’s prolonged private visit to Europe.

President Paul Biya left Cameroon on June 7, 2026, officially for a short private stay in Europe, according to a statement released by his Cabinet Director, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo.

The respected panafrican publication Jeune Afrique has since confirmed through multiple reports that the Head of State is indeed in Geneva, Switzerland—a city he has frequented since assuming power on November 6, 1982.

What began as a declared short stay has stretched indefinitely, fueling widespread speculation—particularly regarding the 93-year-old president’s health. Despite repeated reassurances from authorities, rumors persist, with some even suggesting a potential power vacuum in Cameroon.

However, the Cameroonian constitution does not link the concept of a power vacuum to the number of days a president spends abroad. The legal framework only recognizes a vacancy in three specific scenarios: death, resignation, or permanent incapacity of the sitting president.

Critically, neither the constitution nor any other law defines what constitutes permanent incapacity, leaving this interpretation open to debate. Therefore, basing a claim of power vacuum solely on an extended foreign stay lacks legal foundation.

It is entirely within the president’s prerogative to reside abroad and govern remotely for the duration of his mandate without violating any laws. The real issue here is one of political ethics and public perception.

The prolonged delay in forming a government following the October 12, 2025 presidential election—and the swift reinstatement of the Vice-President position—may explain why citizens are now closely tracking the days President Biya has spent outside Cameroon since June 7, 2026.

In over 43 uninterrupted years in power, the president has never signed or issued a major decree from abroad—a fact that further fuels public curiosity and speculation.