President Paul Biya’s Absence Reaches 60-Day Mark

Since June 7, 2026, President Paul Biya of Cameroon has been absent from office. The official statement provided at the time said the president was absent on a short visit to Switzerland with his wife. Rumours about his health have risen even as the days of absence lengthen, however the government continues to deny the president’s ill-health. Since the start of his tenure on November 6, 1982, President Biya has spent stretches of days abroad, leaving a vacancy in the government. 

Paul Biya is known as the world’s oldest head of state, at 93 years. He is also the second longest-serving head of state, having ruled the country for 43 years. In 2008, he amended the constitution to abolish presidential term limits, presenting endless opportunity for him to be reelected. Over the years, opposition parties have attempted to challenge this and query irregularities surrounding the electoral process, but this has come to naught. Critics of the regime have deemed November 6 as a day of national mourning as it marks the day the country went into oppression. 

In 2024, Paul Biya disappeared from public view for about 42 days after a China-Africa summit in Beijing. During the president’s prolonged leave, the government banned discussion of Biya’s health; however, this only sparked more speculations. He was absent at the United Nations General Assembly and the International Organization of La Francophonie summit where he was expected, lending weight to the argument that the presidency was suffering neglect. The Cameroonian government offered empty reassurances to refute the idea that the President was unfit, however, no substantive information about his whereabouts or time of return was provided. 

This sort of prolonged absence by the Cameroonian president is not new to the African continent, as several African countries struggle with gerontocracy. When African heads of state refuse to yield power to the younger generations even amidst health crises, the effects are adverse. A vacant presidential seat leaves the country in bad shape, particularly when there are pre-existing issues that require urgent action, such as the insecurity in Cameroon. In 2017, Late Former President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria was absent from office for about seven weeks to receive medical treatment. Still, the president insisted that he was fit to continue in his role despite the doubts about his capability. Between 2018 and 2019, Former President Ali Bongo of Gabon was absent from office for months owing to his serious medical conditions. The country’s fears that his absence would create political chaos proved well-founded, as his absence ultimately led to the military coup that ousted the government. 

While absent, President Biya made decrees to reshuffle the country’s military and promote certain officials. This decision has been viewed by many as a proactive measure against impending political unrest or a possible coup. The president also made decrees regarding loan arrangements with international institutions. President Biya’s proxy decrees have been frowned on by the opposition even as they mount pressure for the office to be declared vacant. Since the recently created office of the Vice-President lies vacant too, the Cameroonian government is under intense scrutiny. Cameroonians are demanding accountability from the government; they want to know the true state of their president’s health and his ability to herald national affairs. An interim government can be created to hold the fort until the president returns or the next general elections. 

The Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, René Emmanuel Sadi recently told RFI that the country and its institutions remain stable in spite of  President Biya’s absence. Meanwhile, the opposition party, the MRC, has denounced the Presidency’s lack of transparency, saying it shows a lack of respect for the Cameroonian people.