Campaign season in Cameroon has opened with an unusual twist: the country’s 92-year-old president and lead candidate, Paul Biya, is absent. Biya, the world’s oldest head of state and in power since 1982, left the country last Sunday for what officials described as a “private trip to Europe.” No further details were given, though diplomatic sources confirmed he was in Geneva, a city long known as his preferred destination for personal stays.
The president’s absence has drawn sharp attention as he seeks an eighth consecutive term in the October 12 polls. His party, the RDPC, is rumored to be planning a rally in the northern city of Maroua, though it remains unclear how actively Biya himself will participate. He has not directly addressed Cameroonians since announcing his candidacy on July 13 through X.
Biya’s health and visibility remain ongoing points of speculation. Last year, a week-long stay in Switzerland sparked rumors of his death, forcing officials to issue reassurances. Although a video released by the presidency this time showed Biya leaving in good spirits alongside his wife, Chantal and advisors, he skipped the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where his foreign minister represented him instead.
Analysts point to the deliberate ambiguity surrounding Biya’s condition. “The more he stays out of the public eye, the more he maintains the illusion that he is mentally and physically suited for the office,” said David Kiwuwa, head of the School of International Studies at the University of Nottingham’s China campus. Arrey Elvis Ntui of the International Crisis Group added that there were initial doubts about whether Biya wanted to run again, suggesting aides may have encouraged his candidacy.
The opposition, meanwhile, continues to struggle with unity. “Many Cameroonians are frustrated that the opposition, which has been trying for nearly 30 years to replace President Biya, is still unable at this stage to agree,” Ntui noted. With the opposition divided, Biya remains the frontrunner, despite an unexpected setback involving his daughter Brenda.
On September 17, Brenda Biya released a TikTok video urging voters not to support her father. The clip went viral before being deleted, leading to a follow-up apology where she admitted, “I know nothing about politics. Don’t follow my advice.” The incident fueled public debate, compounded by her past legal troubles and reports of the family’s regular stays at Geneva’s InterContinental Hotel.
For many Cameroonians, Biya’s extended trips abroad symbolize deeper frustrations. A 2018 investigation revealed he had spent roughly 4.5 years of his presidency overseas, largely in Switzerland, at an estimated cost of $65 million. With nearly a quarter of the population living below the poverty line, these expenditures are often viewed as extravagant.
Protests are already forming in Europe, including a demonstration in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva. Diosky Moresmo, spokesperson for a Cameroonian diaspora group in Belgium, accused Biya of governing from luxury hotels while citizens face hardship at home. “We want to chase Paul Biya out of Europe and send him back to Cameroon,” he said. Protesters highlighted daily struggles in Cameroon, asking, “How can he rest peacefully in Geneva, at taxpayers’ expense, while his people suffer?”
As the October election approaches, Biya’s physical absence underscores the central tension of his campaign: a leader seeking another seven years in office, yet rarely present in the country he has governed for more than four decades.
By Yockshard Enyendi
