After an absence exceeding two months, Paul Biya, Cameroon’s president since 1982 and the globe’s senior-most head of state, arrived back in Yaoundé on Thursday, August 20. His prolonged disappearance had intensified national debate concerning his continued fitness to govern the central African nation.
The 93-year-old Cameroonian head of state had departed Yaoundé on June 7 for what the presidency described as a “brief private stay in Europe.” Reports from local media indicated his presence in Geneva, Switzerland, accompanied by his family and key aides.
Following a 73-day period abroad, Paul Biya exited Yaoundé airport, acknowledging the assembled crowd with a wave from the partially open window of his vehicle as he proceeded towards his official residence, the Etoudi Palace. He was joined by his wife, Chantal Biya. A jubilant atmosphere greeted him, with dozens of presidential party supporters, some displaying fabrics bearing the president’s image, having gathered at the airport for his homecoming.
Paul Biya’s health, frequently the subject of speculation given his regular sojourns in Geneva, often leads to government denials. For instance, on June 18, Minister of Communication René Emmanuel Sadi publicly refuted media reports claiming the Cameroonian leader had been hospitalized in a Geneva clinic.
The unusually long duration of this absence reignited discussions about the perceived stagnation within the Cameroonian government. Opposition factions voiced strong disapproval, describing an “institutional vacuum” and portraying the nation as being on “autopilot,” particularly as the appointments of a new government and a vice-president have been pending for several months.
“Spectacle”
“In a democracy such as ours, it is entirely natural for a president’s extended absence to prompt inquiries,” remarked Gilles Owono, a 30-year-old educator who was among those at the airport to greet the head of state. He asserted, “However, this period has not altered the country’s operations; governance has continued uninterrupted.”
James Fame Ndongo, a prominent figure within the ruling party and Minister of Higher Education, refuted claims of a power vacuum in late July. He maintained that “regardless of his location, the head of state assiduously monitors the dossiers presented to him by his collaborators.”
Despite official assurances, these frequent and prolonged absences, a pattern spanning over two decades, consistently fuel frustration among many Cameroonian citizens. “His presence or absence makes no difference. When he is here, he accomplishes nothing. Therefore, I see no reason to partake in this spectacle,” stated Prosper Nkou Mvondo, leader of the opposition Univers party, expressing his disapproval.
Paul Biya’s re-election for an eighth term in October 2025 had previously triggered protests that were met with violent repression. The government acknowledged “several dozens” of fatalities but never released an exact count. The election outcomes, disputed by opposition groups, also elicited a degree of apprehension from Western diplomatic missions.
This extended period away from Cameroon has further intensified discussions regarding the “post-Biya” era, accelerating the unspoken race for succession, a process currently veiled in considerable uncertainty. Without a designated vice-president, the responsibility for assuming power in the event of a vacancy would fall to the President of the Senate, Aboubakary Abdoulaye, until a new presidential election could be organized.