It has been 48 days since Cameroon's President Paul Biya, the world's oldest head of state at 93, left the country. He has been in power for over 40 years. On June 7, an official statement said he departed for a 'short, private stay in Europe' with his wife Chantal Biya. But 48 days is not short. It is a loud silence that is shaking the foundations of the nation.
Biya has made frequent trips to Geneva over the years. Every time he disappears, the rumors about his health explode. The government has denied them. On June 18, Communication Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi issued a statement saying Biya was not hospitalized in a Geneva clinic. But the denials feel like a bandage on a deep wound.
The opposition is not buying it. Mamadou Mota, vice-president of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), called the absence a 'glaring institutional vacuum' on Facebook. He is not alone. Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, president of the Cameroon Democratic Union (UDC), demanded an 'impartial procedure for determining the temporary or permanent incapacity' of the head of state. This is not a whisper. It is a demand.
But the ruling party is pushing back. Jacques Fame Ndongo, a senior official and minister of higher education, dismissed the accusations. 'Wherever he is, the head of state is meticulously following the files submitted to him... by his aides,' he said. Meticulously? From 5,000 kilometers away? Many Cameroonians are not convinced.
Is Cameroon on Autopilot?
This is not the first time Biya has gone missing. In late 2024, he spent around 50 days outside the country. The opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) said the country is 'on autopilot.' And the frustrations are boiling over. Viviane Ondoua Biwole, a professor of public management at the University of Yaounde, told AFP: 'People are worn out from waiting. First of all because the current government has been in place for eight years, which is a record. Next, because we are coming out of an election with very mixed results. Many people consider after an election, it is time for renewal.'
Biya's re-election for an eighth term in October sparked protests. The government acknowledged 'several dozen' deaths but gave no exact toll. The election results were challenged by the opposition and met with reserve by Western embassies. In his address to the nation on December 31, Biya promised a new government team 'in the coming days.' Seven months later, nothing. Municipal and legislative elections have been postponed indefinitely. The clock is ticking, but the government is frozen.
The Post-Biya Race Has Already Started
Cameroonian authorities have made some moves. They replaced the presidents of both chambers of parliament in March and created a vice-presidential post via constitutional reform in May. But no vice-president has been appointed. The inaction has fueled conspiracies. In June, fake documents replicating a presidential decree were delivered to a public radio station, claiming a vice-president had been appointed. The journalists caught the fake, but the damage was done. The race for Biya's succession is shrouded in uncertainty.
Ondoua Biwole said there is 'a crisis at the highest levels of government between those close to the president.' Political scientist Stephane Akoa agreed, telling AFP that 'increasingly leaks mention infighting between the various factions in his inner circle.' And behind one of those factions looms First Lady Chantal Biya. Akoa said she is 'increasingly present in state affairs,' with 'her name often being mentioned in decision-making and appointments.'
Without a vice-president, the senate president, Aboubakary Abdoulaye, is next in line to lead in the event of a power vacuum, until a presidential election can be organized. But for now, the country waits. And the silence from Yaounde is louder than any speech.
FAQ: What You Need to Know
How long has President Biya been absent from Cameroon?
As of July 25, 2026, President Paul Biya has been absent for 48 days. He left on June 7 for a 'short, private stay in Europe.'
Who would lead Cameroon if Biya cannot return?
Without a vice-president, the senate president, Aboubakary Abdoulaye, is next in line to lead until a presidential election can be organized.
Why is the opposition calling this a 'power vacuum'?
The opposition says the government is on autopilot with no clear leadership, no new cabinet formed, and no vice-president appointed, while the president is unreachable in Europe.
Photo: Punch Newspapers