For nearly two months, Cameroon has been without its president on its soil. Paul Biya, who has led the country since 1982 and is the world’s oldest serving head of state at 93, left on June 7 for what officials described as a brief private stay in Europe, accompanied by his wife, Chantal Biya.
The frequent medical trips to Geneva that have marked his long presidency have long fueled speculation about his health, though such rumors are often swiftly denied by government officials.
On June 18, Communications Minister René Emmanuel Sadi issued a statement dismissing claims that the president was hospitalized in a Geneva clinic, calling them entirely unfounded.
opposition voices growing unease over institutional void
The opposition has seized on Biya’s prolonged absence as proof of a crisis of governance. Mamadou Mota, vice-president of the Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), took to social media to condemn what he called a staggering institutional vacuum, warning that the country was being run on autopilot.
Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, leader of the Cameroonian Democratic Union (UDC), went further in mid-July, demanding that authorities establish a clear, impartial process to assess whether the president is temporarily or permanently incapacitated.
Government officials, including presidential party member and Higher Education Minister James Fame Ndongo, have dismissed these concerns, insisting that Biya remains fully engaged in state affairs from abroad, overseeing key decisions through his aides.
This debate over a potential power vacuum is not new. Similar discussions arose in late 2024 when Biya was out of the country for over 50 days. The Social Democratic Front (SDF) has also mocked the situation, describing the country as being stuck in neutral.
public frustration grows over stalled reforms
The repeated absences—now a pattern over the past two decades—have deepened public frustration with what many see as governmental inertia. Viviane Ondoua Biwolé, a public management professor at the University of Yaoundé, noted that Cameroonians are exhausted by the delays.
“The current administration has now held power for eight years—a record. And we’re emerging from a disputed election that left many feeling the need for renewal,” she explained. “When elections conclude, people expect change. Instead, we see stagnation.”
The October 2025 presidential election, which saw Biya re-elected to an eighth term, was met with violent crackdowns on protests. Authorities acknowledged several dozen deaths but did not release an official toll. Western capitals responded with measured criticism, questioning the election’s fairness.
In his New Year’s address on December 31, Biya promised to form a new government within days. Seven months later, no such reshuffle has occurred. Municipal and legislative elections, already postponed multiple times, continue to be delayed, extending the mandates of current officials indefinitely.
uncertain succession fuels political maneuvering
Despite these concerns, the government has pushed through institutional changes, including replacing the heads of parliament’s two chambers in March and introducing a vice-presidential position through a constitutional amendment in early May. Yet nearly three months later, no vice-president has been named—a delay that has only fueled speculation.
In June, an individual arrived at the state broadcaster’s headquarters in Yaoundé claiming to present a presidential decree appointing a vice-president. The document bore official seals and what appeared to be Biya’s signature, but journalists quickly exposed it as a forgery, further stoking rumors.
Experts suggest these maneuvers reflect deeper tensions at the heart of the regime. Viviane Ondoua Biwolé pointed to visible fractures within the presidential inner circle, while political analyst Stéphane Akoa noted an increase in leaks about infighting among competing factions.
Chantal Biya, the First Lady, has been increasingly visible in state affairs, with her name frequently linked to key decisions and appointments. Until a vice-president is confirmed, Senate President Aboubakary Abdoulaye would assume interim powers in the event of a vacancy, pending a new presidential election.
