The prolonged absence of Cameroonian President Paul Biya from the country has renewed concerns over a possible leadership vacuum, with opposition figures accusing the government of drifting while key national issues remain unresolved.
As of Wednesday, Biya, 93, will have spent over 50 days outside Cameroon after leaving for what the presidency described as a “short private stay in Europe.”
The veteran leader, who has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades and is the world’s oldest serving head of state, travelled to Switzerland on June 7 alongside his wife, Chantal Biya.
His extended stay abroad has once again fuelled speculation about his health, an issue that has repeatedly surfaced over the years whenever he spends long periods outside the country.
On June 18, Cameroon’s Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, dismissed media reports claiming Biya had been admitted to a hospital in Geneva, insisting the president was not receiving medical treatment.
Despite the government’s assurances, opposition parties say Biya’s continued absence has exposed what they describe as an institutional vacuum at the highest level of government.
Vice-President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), Mamadou Mota, said the situation reflects a “glaring institutional vacuum,” while the leader of the Cameroon Democratic Union (UDC), Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, urged the government to establish an impartial legal process for determining when a president is temporarily or permanently unable to perform official duties.
However, the government has rejected suggestions that the country is without leadership.
Minister of Higher Education and senior ruling party official, Jacques Fame Ndongo, insisted that Biya remains fully in charge of state affairs despite being outside the country.
“Wherever he is, the Head of State is meticulously following the files submitted to him by his aides,” Ndongo said.
This is not the first time Biya’s prolonged absence has triggered political debate. In late 2024, he also spent nearly 50 days outside Cameroon, raising similar concerns.
The opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) said on Friday that the country was effectively “on autopilot,” arguing that major government decisions have stalled while the president remains abroad.
Many Cameroonians also say they are becoming increasingly frustrated by what they see as slow governance and a lack of political renewal.
Viviane Ondoua Biwole, a professor of Public Management at the University of Yaounde, said public patience is wearing thin after years without significant changes in government.
According to her, the current administration has remained in office for eight years, while many expected a cabinet reshuffle following the country’s last presidential election.
Biya secured an eighth term in office in the October presidential election, a result that sparked protests across parts of the country. The demonstrations were violently dispersed by security forces, with the government acknowledging that several people were killed, although no official death toll has been released.
The election outcome was also challenged by opposition parties and greeted with caution by several Western diplomatic missions.
In his New Year address on December 31, Biya promised to announce a new cabinet “in the coming days.” More than seven months later, the reshuffle has yet to happen.
Municipal and legislative elections have also been postponed repeatedly, allowing elected officials to remain in office beyond the expiration of their mandates.
Although the government has introduced some institutional reforms—including replacing the heads of both chambers of parliament in March and creating the office of vice-president through a constitutional amendment in May—the new position has not been filled.
The delay has further fuelled speculation over who could eventually succeed Biya.
Last month, forged documents purporting to be a presidential decree announcing the appointment of a vice-president were sent to a state-owned radio station in Yaounde. Journalists identified the documents as fake and declined to broadcast the report.
Political observers say uncertainty over the post-Biya era is becoming more pronounced, with reports of power struggles among influential figures within the presidency.
According to political scientist Stephane Akoa, there are increasing signs of rivalry among factions close to the president, while First Lady Chantal Biya is said to be playing a more prominent role in state affairs, with her name frequently linked to key appointments and government decisions.
Under Cameroon’s constitution, if the office of president becomes vacant and there is no vice-president, Senate President Aboubakary Abdoulaye would assume interim leadership pending the conduct of a fresh presidential election.
For now, however, President Biya’s prolonged absence continues to raise questions about governance, succession and the future political direction of one of Central Africa’s longest-serving administrations.
