Forty-nine days. That’s the amount of time Paul Biya has been away from Cameroun, a number that equals his longest absence since 2024. Departed on June 7 for a private trip in Europe, the 93-year-old president has not appeared in public since. In Yaoundé’s newsrooms, the counter is ticking and anxiety is growing.
Unprecedented Absence Raises Concerns
The president’s current stay in Switzerland bears some resemblance to his stay last year. The government tried to cut short rumors. On June 18, Communications Minister René Emmanuel Sadi denied any hospitalization of Paul Biya at a Geneva clinic.
No recent images have confirmed this denial. That’s the least one can say.
Sunday on Droit de Réponse, broadcasted on Equinoxe TV, a RDCP militant, Lucien Bidima, claimed to have personally visited the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva. He said he saw a ‘very fit’ president who was fully active. However, no visual proof accompanied this statement, neither photos nor videos.
Chantal Biya at the Center of Attention and an Empty Constitutional Vacuum
What’s different this time is Chantal Biya’s growing presence in the government’s decision-making process. Several media outlets describe her as increasingly involved in state affairs, with her name even circulating around certain nominations. Her regular presence by Paul Biya during his Swiss stays fuels the idea that access to the head of state now passes through her.
The problem is, Cameroon still doesn’t have a vice-president.
In case of a vacancy of power, it’s the Sénat president Aboubakary Abdoulaye who would assume interim duties. A constitutional mechanism never tested in this context and causing anxiety among politicians. We don’t know yet if this absence marks a turning point or just another pause in Paul Biya’s term. However, the atmosphere is already tense due to several months of ongoing tensions.