Cameroon's President Biya Home After 73-Day Absence, Amid Health Speculation

Cameroon's President Biya Home After 73-Day Absence, Amid Health Speculation Cameroon's President Paul Biya has returned to the country after spending 73 days abroad, ending an unusually long absence that has intensified speculation around the 93-year-old's health and raised questions over Cameroon's political future. Biya, the world's oldest serving head of state, landed in the Cameroonian capital Yaoundé on Thursday after travelling from Geneva, where he had been staying since 7 June on what the presidency described as a "short private stay". Cameroonian media reported that the president, who has led the Central African country since 1982, had been accompanied in Switzerland by family members and close aides. Dozens of supporters of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement gathered at the airport to welcome him, some dressed in clothing carrying the veteran president's image. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn While his return ends the speculation surrounding his whereabouts, questions over his health, the functioning of the presidency and his eventual succession are unlikely to disappear. Cameroon government says Biya's prolonged absence 'no cause for concern' Health rumours Biya's health has long been the subject of speculation in Cameroon, thanks in part to his frequent and sometimes lengthy stays in Geneva. On 18 June, Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi rejected reports that the president had been admitted to a clinic in the Swiss city. But as Biya's absence stretched into weeks and then months, opposition figures increasingly questioned who was exercising executive authority in his absence. Critics accused the government of allowing an "institutional vacuum" to develop and said the country was effectively operating on "autopilot". Political attention has also focused on the fact that the appointment of a new government and a vice-president have been pending for months. Senior ruling party figures have rejected suggestions that Biya's absence prevented the state from functioning. James Fame Ndongo, a prominent member of the ruling party and Cameroon's higher education minister, said last month that the president remained in charge of state affairs while abroad. For other Cameroonians, however, the president's frequent spells abroad over the past two decades have become a source of increasing frustration. "It makes no difference whether he returns or stays away. When he is here, he does nothing," said Prosper Nkou Mvondo, leader of the opposition Univers party. "I see no reason to take part in this spectacle." Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Cameroon's Biya re-elected despite deadly protests and claims of fraud Succession questions Biya's return comes less than a year after his re-election for an eighth term, in October 2025. The vote was followed by protests that were violently suppressed by the authorities. Officials acknowledged that several dozen people had been killed but did not issue a definitive death toll. Having led Cameroon for more than four decades, Biya is one of the longest-serving national leaders in the world. His latest prolonged stay abroad has revived discussion about what might follow his presidency, prompting renewed manoeuvring among figures considered possible successors. The succession question is particularly sensitive due to the fact that Cameroon currently has no vice-president. Under the constitution, Senate President Aboubakary Abdoulaye would be next in line to assume responsibility for the country in the event of a vacancy at the presidency, pending the organisation of a presidential election. For now, however, Biya's arrival in Yaoundé has provided the government with a visible response to weeks of speculation about his health and authority. (with newswires) Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website. Cameroon's President Biya Returns Home After Months-Long Absence Cameroon West Africa Governance Central Africa AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. 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