Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon for 42 years, and is one of the current heads of state who has ruled the longest. Democracy is in short supply under his leadership, and the controversial man has been in full control of the central African country. Well over half of the people of Cameroon have never had a president other than Paul Biya. It is therefore a huge upheaval for Cameroon if Biya is actually dead, as the rumor says he is. Warning the media against writing about the topic The rumor was no less affected by what happened last Sunday. At an airport outside the capital Yaounde, members of the ruling party and various youth groups had gathered to welcome the president. This is the last known picture of Paul Biya. He and his wife Chantal came to the Africa summit in China at the beginning of September. Photo: Reuters The planning of the ceremony at the airport was done very discreetly. And when everything was canceled a few hours later, the cancellation happened just as discreetly. Why everything was cancelled, there are no clear answers. Media in Cameroon are banned from writing about rumours. Home Affairs Minister Paul Atanga Nji announced on 9 October that any debate surrounding the president’s health threatened peace in the country. In a letter that was sent out to the country’s governors, it was threatened that everyone who participated in the discussion about the president’s health would face the long arm of the law. Important policy is put on hold It is far from the first time the president has suddenly been away for a long period. And he has always come back before. The government in Cameroon denies that the president is dead, and has come out against the rumours. – The head of state has allowed himself a short private stay in Europe. But he remains, as usual, regardless of who he is, attentive to the development of the nation’s life, said Information Minister René Sadi, according to a press release sent out a week ago. But now Biya has been away for so long that it is difficult to call it “a short stay in Europe”, and a number of political crises are starting to press on. Cameroon’s president has often been seen at various summits around the world. Here on a visit to Russia, together with President Vladimir Putin. Photo: AP The processing of the national budget is running out of time due to the lack of a president, writes The Africa Report. The country is also said to have encountered difficulties in taking up government loans, because several international institutions have put processes on hold while waiting for a clarification. Uncertain who will succeed Biya Rumors are forcing questions about who will possibly take over from Biya. Although his official age is 91 years, no heir has ever been made ready. In any case, not an heir that the public knows about. The son Frank Biya is mentioned, but has never shown particular political ambitions. And number two on the ladder in Cameroon is the leader of the senate, Marcel Niat Njifenji, but he is 89 years old and has been sicker than the president lately. Therefore, there is a flurry of unanswered questions that appear as the rumor about Biya’s death grows stronger and stronger. It has been over a month since he last appeared in public, during an Africa-China summit at the beginning of September. Is Biya now secretly admitted to a hospital outside Paris? Or is he at the five-star hotel that he very often uses in Geneva? Or is he already dead? There are very few Cameroonians who can give you reliable answers to those questions. Cameroon’s government claims the president is in “good health” and has said he will return to Cameroon “very soon”. But many do not believe this, and believe that several small signs in sum are proof that the president is actually dead – or at least seriously ill. Fear of conflict If the president is in fact dead, then an important reason for all the secrecy may be that there is fear of an internal power struggle and conflict in Cameroon’s upper echelons. A democracy activist Al Jazeera has interviewed is not gracious in his portrayal of Cameroon’s top leadership. Paul Biya is far from equally popular with everyone. Many Cameroonians are strongly critical of the president. Here from a demonstration in Geneva. A similar demonstration would normally have been stopped brutally in Cameroon. Photo: AP – Cameroon is an opaque cesspool where even key players are unable to understand the system and maneuver according to it, says Kathleen Ndongmo. The experts expect a possible conflict, which could grow large if rival factions arise. – The post-Biya era will not be pretty if one faction does not end up being a clear winner, says Ndongmo. Although the fear of conflict and brutal power struggles exists, it is an advantage that Cameroon’s various power structures are distributed over the many ethnic groups in the country. Thus, the risk of a major conflict is lower. Nevertheless, several parts of the country are characterized by a high level of conflict, and a crisis in the power apparatus can quickly have major consequences for the army’s ability to operate in these areas. Published 17.10.2024, at 16.37 Updated 17.10.2024, at 16.47
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Is Paul Biya dead? – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
