President Paul Biya’s extended absence from Cameroon has reignited debates about a potential power vacuum at the country’s highest levels of governance.

Departing for what was described as a brief private visit to Europe on June 7, the 88-year-old leader has yet to return to Yaoundé after more than 40 days abroad. This prolonged absence has intensified discussions about whether a power vacuum exists at the helm of the nation.

During a press conference on July 23, Joshua Osih, leader of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) and a prominent opposition figure, criticized the situation. “A Head of State absent for over six weeks. An empty vice presidency. Cameroon drifting on autopilot—yet we cannot afford to rely on autopilot in the midst of a storm,” Osih declared.

The opposition leader emphasized that his party is not merely pointing out problems but offering solutions. “We have come not to fan the flames but to douse the fire,” he stated. Osih called for a return to the core principles of the rule of law in Cameroon, aligning with demands from other opposition leaders and civil society activists, including Jean-Michel Nintcheu, who has formally requested the Constitutional Council to declare a power vacuum at the Etoudi Palace.

The ruling party, however, dismisses any notion of a power vacuum. “There is no power vacuum at the highest levels of the state,” asserted Jacques Fame Ndongo, Minister of State and National Communication Secretary of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).