Cameroon’s 93-year-old President Paul Biya returned to Yaoundé on August 20 after a 73-day stay in Switzerland, ending weeks of speculation about his health and the continuity of governance in the Central African nation.
Biya arrived at Nsimalen International Airport in the capital aboard a chartered flight from Geneva, where he had been since June 7 on what his office described as a “brief private stay in Europe.”
State broadcaster CRTV aired his arrival live, showing the president waving to supporters from his vehicle as a motorcade departed for the presidential palace. Biya and his spouse, Chantal Biya, were greeted by ruling party supporters, underscoring the political significance of the homecoming after the longest recorded uninterrupted absence since he took power in 1982.
Biya’s prolonged absence fueled recurring rumors about his health, including unconfirmed reports that he had undergone knee surgery in Geneva. Earlier, on July 21, the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Rally (CPDM) similarly dismissed claims of a power vacuum, stating that Biya continued to oversee state affairs “in person or by electronic means.” Opposition figures, however, described the situation as “de facto exile” and called on the Constitutional Council to consider whether a vacancy should be declared.
Biya’s absence reignited debate over Cameroon’s constitutional provisions governing extended presidential stays abroad. While the constitution addresses death and resignation, it is silent on prolonged foreign absences, creating what analysts describe as a “constitutional grey area.” In April 2026, parliament approved a constitutional revision reintroducing the post of vice president to clarify succession, but the position remains unfilled.
The uncertainty has intensified speculation about potential successors, including Biya’s eldest son, Franck Biya, who has been mentioned in media reports as a possible candidate for the vice presidency despite having no elected office or formal political role. A June attempt to circulate forged decrees appointing a vice president and reshuffling the government further highlighted the stakes surrounding succession.
Biya, who was re-elected to an eighth term in October 2025, has led Cameroon since 1982, making him Africa’s longest-serving leader and the world’s oldest head of state. He is known for frequent private visits to Geneva, where two of his children studied and where he has reportedly spent significant time over the decades.
