By Oluwakemi Kindness
President Paul Biya has returned to Cameroon after spending 73 days abroad, ending an extended absence that fuelled renewed speculation about his health and raised questions over who was effectively running the country during his stay in Geneva.
The 93-year-old president arrived in Yaoundé at about 4 p.m. GMT on Thursday from Geneva, where his office said he had been on a “short private stay” since June 7.
Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, left the airport alongside First Lady Chantal Biya and waved to supporters from a vehicle as they made their way to the presidential palace.
Scores of ruling-party supporters gathered at the airport to welcome the president, with some dressed in clothing bearing his image.
Health Concerns Resurface
Biya’s frequent and prolonged stays in Geneva have repeatedly triggered speculation about his health, with the latest 73-day absence intensifying those concerns.
On June 18, Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi dismissed reports that the president had been hospitalised at a clinic in Geneva.
However, authorities have offered little public information about Biya’s activities during his latest stay, leaving questions about his health unresolved.
Opposition Questions Governance
Biya’s prolonged absence has also sparked a political debate over the functioning of government.
Opposition figures criticised what they described as an “institutional vacuum”, arguing that Cameroon had effectively been operating on “autopilot”.
The concerns come as the country awaits the appointment of a new government and vice-president, decisions that have remained pending for months.
While Biya’s return may temporarily ease uncertainty, it is unlikely to end wider debates over succession, the concentration of power in the presidency and the effectiveness of Cameroon’s governance when its long-serving leader is away.
