Cameroon’s 91-year-old President, Paul Biya, has been seen in public for the first time in six weeks, putting an end to widespread rumours about his health condition.
The president’s absence from public view had fuelled unverified reports of his death, but state television on Monday broadcast footage of his return to the capital, Yaoundé, from a private visit to Switzerland.
The footage showed Biya, who has been in power since 1982, arriving at the airport dressed in his usual conservative suit, looking visibly healthy and strong. His last public appearance was on September 8, when he attended the China-Africa summit in Beijing.
During his absence, the government faced mounting pressure to address the growing speculation about Biya’s wellbeing. While officials had repeatedly denied reports of his death, they confirmed that the president was in good health and enjoying a private stay in Geneva, a city he frequently visited.
The government had classified any discussion of Biya’s health as a matter of national security and banned the media from covering the topic. Despite this, rumours surrounding his death was a recurring issue for the past two decades.
Biya’s return was met with a warm reception from government officials and members of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). The presence of crowds on some streets in Yaoundé further suggested that the government was eager to quash any doubts about the president’s condition.
His reappearance is likely to reignite calls within the CPDM for Biya to run for another seven-year term in next year’s election. While the president, often referred to by his supporters as the “Lion Man,” has not publicly declared his candidacy, critics argue that recent political maneuvers signal his intent to maintain a tight grip on power.
