By Karim Were
YAOUNDÉ —Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has been outside the country for more than two months, an unusually prolonged absence that has intensified questions over his health, the functioning of government and the country’s political succession.
Biya, 93, left Yaoundé on June 7 accompanied by his wife, Chantal Biya, for what the presidency described as a “brief private stay in Europe.” More than two months later, he has yet to return to Cameroon or make a public appearance, according to recent reports.
The length of the trip has generated growing speculation in Cameroon and abroad, particularly because Biya is the world’s oldest serving head of state and has ruled the Central African nation since 1982.
The government, however, has rejected reports that the president is incapacitated or has relinquished power. Communications Minister René Emmanuel Sadi has said Biya is alive, remains president and will return to Cameroon “very soon,” although no specific date has been announced. ([PAN AFRICAN VISIONS]
The government has also previously denied reports that Biya was hospitalised in Geneva, saying that while he could undertake routine medical consultations during his stay, he was not receiving the type of treatment described in some media reports.
The uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts has nevertheless become a major political issue in Cameroon.
#From a short European stay to a prolonged absence
The presidential civil cabinet announced on June 7 that Biya had departed Yaoundé with his wife for a private stay in Europe.
The official statement did not provide details about the president’s itinerary or a precise date for his return. It said only that he was travelling for a brief private stay. ([PRC]
The trip soon attracted attention because Biya has a long history of spending extended periods outside Cameroon, particularly in Switzerland.
By late July, his absence had already exceeded the length of a similar 2024 absence that lasted about 50 days. By early August, he had been outside the country for roughly two months.
The absence has continued to generate public discussion because there has been no publicly announced timetable for his return.
While official government communications have continued, the president himself has not been seen publicly since leaving Cameroon.
#Health speculation grows
Much of the speculation surrounding Biya centres on his health.
At 93, the president’s age has naturally intensified scrutiny of his physical condition, particularly because he has rarely appeared in public in recent years.
Reports in June claimed that Biya had been hospitalised in Geneva. The Cameroonian government rejected those reports, describing them as unfounded and insisting that the president was not hospitalised. ([Cameroon News Agency]
Government officials have maintained that Biya continues to perform his presidential duties while abroad.
However, the absence of detailed official information has left room for competing claims about his condition.
This has created a difficult situation for authorities. While the government has sought to reassure the public, the lack of a clear explanation for the prolonged stay has allowed speculation to persist.
It is important to distinguish between the verified facts and the claims surrounding the president’s health. There is no verified public evidence establishing that Biya is seriously ill or incapacitated. The government has specifically denied hospitalisation reports.
#Opposition questions government continuity
Biya’s absence has also become a political issue.
Opposition politicians and civic figures have questioned whether the country can effectively be governed when the president remains abroad for such a prolonged period.
Some opposition figures have called for constitutional mechanisms concerning presidential incapacity or vacancy to be examined.
The opposition has argued that the prolonged absence creates uncertainty over who is exercising presidential authority and how major decisions are being made.
The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), however, has pushed back against suggestions that the presidency is vacant.
In July, the ruling party convened a meeting of senior officials as criticism of Biya’s absence mounted. Reuters reported that the meeting was described as an important working session, although it was not officially linked to the president’s absence.
The party has maintained that the state remains functional.
#Government says Biya remains in charge
Government officials insist that Biya continues to exercise presidential authority from abroad.
According to the government, decisions can be communicated and implemented even when the president is outside Cameroon.
Official presidential channels have also continued to issue messages attributed to Biya, including diplomatic communications with foreign leaders. Africanews reported in July that presidential social media accounts continued posting messages from the president despite his absence from public view.
The government therefore rejects the argument that Cameroon has been left without presidential leadership.
The dispute is consequently less about whether the constitutional office exists and more about the transparency surrounding the exercise of presidential powers while the president remains outside the country.
#A country facing major challenges
The debate comes at a sensitive time for Cameroon.
The country continues to face serious security, economic and social challenges, including conflict in the country’s English-speaking regions and insecurity in the Far North linked to militant groups.
Cameroon is also dealing with economic pressures and widespread concerns about youth employment and living standards.
With a population approaching 30 million and a predominantly young population, expectations for political and economic change are significant.
Biya’s prolonged absence has therefore raised concerns about whether the government is sufficiently responsive to these challenges.
Critics have described the country as operating on “autopilot”, while government supporters insist that state institutions continue to function.
#Military changes add to the uncertainty
The debate intensified further after a major reshuffle of Cameroon’s military leadership was announced while Biya remained abroad.
Reuters reported on August 4 that Biya had reshuffled senior military leadership after 58 days without a public appearance. The changes included the promotion of the head of the Presidential Guard and the replacement of commanders in four of the country’s five joint military regions.
The decrees were formally issued in Biya’s name.
The military remains an important institution in Cameroon, particularly given the security challenges facing the country.
The timing of the changes attracted attention because they came amid increasing speculation about the president’s prolonged absence.
There is no official evidence that the military reshuffle was directly connected to concerns about Biya’s health. Any suggestion of such a connection should therefore be treated as interpretation rather than established fact.
#The succession question
Biya’s absence has inevitably revived the question of succession.
He has governed Cameroon for more than four decades and was re-elected in October 2025 for another term.
The president’s longevity in office has made succession planning one of the country’s most sensitive political issues.
The issue is particularly important because the country’s political system has historically revolved heavily around the presidency.
The prolonged absence has consequently prompted renewed debate about what would happen if the president became temporarily or permanently unable to perform his duties.
Opposition figures have called for greater clarity on the constitutional procedures that would apply in such circumstances.
The government, however, has not accepted that Biya’s absence constitutes a vacancy.
#A familiar pattern, but a longer stay
Biya’s current absence is not unprecedented in itself.
The president has frequently spent extended periods abroad, particularly in Switzerland, during his decades in office.
His travel habits have previously generated criticism over the amount of time he spends outside Cameroon and questions about the cost and purpose of such stays.
But the present situation has attracted particular attention because of its duration and because Biya is now 93.
A similar episode in 2024 also generated intense speculation about his health. At the time, Cameroonian authorities moved to restrict public discussion about the president’s health, illustrating how sensitive the issue remains.
The current debate therefore reflects both immediate concerns about Biya’s whereabouts and a much longer-running discussion about governance in Cameroon.
#Political uncertainty ahead
The prolonged absence could also affect preparations for the country’s future political cycle.
Biya’s continued leadership has kept the question of political succession largely unresolved.
For the ruling party, maintaining political stability and projecting continuity remains important.
For opposition parties, the president’s absence provides another opportunity to question the concentration of political power and the effectiveness of existing institutions.
The dispute is likely to continue until Biya returns to Cameroon or the government provides more detailed information about his situation.
#What remains known
Several facts about the situation are clear.
Biya left Cameroon on June 7 for what the presidency described as a brief private stay in Europe. He has not returned after more than two months. He is 93 and has been president since 1982.
The government has denied reports that he was hospitalised and insists that he remains in office.
It has also said that he will return to Cameroon soon, although it has not given a precise date.
Beyond those facts, many claims circulating about his health and the precise nature of his stay remain unconfirmed.
That distinction is important in a political environment where rumours about the president’s health can have significant consequences.
#Conclusion
Paul Biya’s prolonged absence has become more than a question about where Cameroon’s president is spending his time.
It has developed into a wider debate about transparency, presidential authority, institutional continuity and succession in a country led by the same president for more than four decades.
For now, the government maintains that Cameroon remains under Biya’s leadership and that the president will return.
But until he appears publicly again or authorities provide clearer information about his prolonged stay, questions over his health, the extent of his involvement in government and the country’s succession arrangements are likely to remain at the centre of political debate.
Reporting note: Claims about Biya’s health or possible incapacity have not been presented as established facts. The Cameroonian government has denied hospitalisation reports and maintains that the president remains in office.
