Paul Biya, Cameroon’s president since 1982 and the world’s longest-serving head of state, arrived back in Yaoundé on Thursday, August 20, following an absence of more than two months. His prolonged time away had reignited intense national debate concerning his capacity to govern the country.

The 93-year-old Cameroonian leader had departed Yaoundé on June 7 for what the presidency described as a « short private stay in Europe ». Local media outlets in Cameroon indicated he was in Geneva, Switzerland, accompanied by his family and a select group of his closest aides.

After 73 days outside the country, Paul Biya exited Yaoundé airport, offering a wave to the gathered crowd through the slightly open window of his vehicle, which transported him to his official residence, the Etoudi palace. He was accompanied by his wife, Chantal Biya. Dozens of militants from the presidential party, some adorned in fabric bearing the president’s likeness, had assembled at the airport to greet him in a celebratory atmosphere.

Paul Biya’s health, along with his frequent visits to Geneva, consistently fuels numerous rumors, which the government occasionally refutes. On June 18, René Emmanuel Sadi, the Minister of Communication, dismissed press reports claiming the Cameroonian leader had been hospitalized in a Geneva clinic.

This unprecedentedly long absence revitalized discussions about the perceived stagnation within the Cameroonian government and drew sharp criticism from the opposition. They denounced an « institutional vacuum » and a nation operating on « autopilot », particularly given that the appointment of a new government and a vice president had been anticipated for several months.

« A spectacle »

« For a democracy like ours, it is natural for a president’s extended absence to provoke questions. However, this has not altered the country’s operations; it continued to function », asserted Gilles Owono, a 30-year-old teacher who was present at the airport to welcome the head of state.

James Fame Ndongo, a senior figure within the presidential party and Minister of Higher Education, dismissed allegations of a power vacuum in late July. He maintained that « wherever he is, the head of state meticulously reviews the files submitted to him (…) by his collaborators ».

Nevertheless, these recurring absences over the past two decades persistently fuel the frustration of many Cameroonians. « It makes no difference whether he is here or not. When he is present, he accomplishes nothing. Therefore, I do not believe it is necessary to partake in this spectacle », lamented Prosper Nkou Mvondo, leader of the opposition Univers party.

Paul Biya’s re-election for an eighth term in October 2025 had previously led to protests that were violently suppressed, with the government acknowledging « several dozens » of fatalities without providing precise figures. The results, disputed by the opposition, also elicited some reservations among Western diplomatic missions.

This extensive period away from Cameroon also intensified speculation regarding the post-Biya era, accelerating the race for his succession, which remains largely uncertain. As long as a vice president has not been named, the responsibility would fall to the President of the Senate, Aboubakary Abdoulaye, to assume power in the event of a presidential vacancy, pending the organization of new elections.