Wia Cameroon president Paul Biya dey?

Cameroon president wey be 93-year-old, Paul Biya don dey out of di kontri for plenti weeks now, but e still approve make im govment secure loans to fund developmental projects for di kontri.

Paul Biya don dey away from Cameroon for ova 40 days and e don raise concern about im long stay abroad.

For anoda decrees wey dem issue on Wednesday, 22 July, di 93-year-old President ask di Minister of di Economy, Planning and Regional Development to sign credit agreements wit di International Development Association (IDA) and di Deutsche Bank of Spain.

Meanwhile, Biya also appoint two officials to di board of di national hydrocarbons corporation di same day.

Wit Paul Biya absence from di kontri since 7 June, im move to appoint officials and approve loans don spark mixed reactions.

Cameroonians dey demand transparency on im whereabouts and also state of health.

Di president team describe di foreign trip as "brief private stay for Europe," but di uncertainty ova how long e go be still dey make pipo worry.

Wia Paul Biya dey?

Some dey raise speculation about di President health, but dey issue dey considered as taboo for Cameroon, di Central African nation wey Biya don rule for nearly 44 years.

On June 17, Jeune Afrique report say Biya dey admitted for one private clinic for Geneva, Switzerland, afta e supposedly suffer malaise during national day celebrations for May.

But Cameroon Communication Minister and Govment tok tok pesin, René Emmanuel Sadi quickly debunk di claims for statement di next day as dem describe dem as "unfounded" and "malicious."

Although Sadi confam Biya dey for Geneva, e say di nonagenarian leader "no dey admitted for any medical facility, nor is he in state of health wey require medical care to di extent suggested by Jeune Afrique."

"Though di Head of State fit legitimately take di opportunity of im stay for Geneva to undergo routine medical check-ups, e go kontinue, as usual, to monitor di affairs of di Republic wit due diligence and to take di necessary measures wia need be," di govment tok tok pesin add.

For October 2024, rumours bin spread ova di death of Paul Biya. Di kontri minister of director of di Civil Cabinet, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo later come out to say di president dey in good health condition.

How long Cameroon president fit dey absent and reactions

Paul Biya, wey also be one of di world oldest head of state, kontinue dey carry out im presidential functions for Geneva despite say e dey on "private" stay.

Apart from di decrees wey dem sign on Wednesday, e also send official telegrams to world leaders and promote some members of di army to new ranks during im foreign trip.

Im long absence from di kontri wey e dey lead do attract tok tok from opposition.

One lawmaker even say make di constitutional council declare Biya presidential seat vacant.

For dia response, di ruling CPDM party say no vacancy dey for di top seat of di kontri.

"No legal or regulatory provision for Cameroon set di maximum duration of di presidential stay outside Cameroon," di party tok tok pesin say for July 21 statement, say Biya dey work for wia e dey.

As per Cameroon constitution, presidential vacancy fit only dey declared if di president resign, die, or dey permanently incapacitated as di constitutional council tok.

Biya long stay abroad dey trouble Cameroonians becos e come wen expectation dey for di appointment of di kontri new Vice President and cabinet reshuffle wey sabi pipo say e don dey long overdue.

Paul Biya tenure since 1982 dey marked by frequent and long "private" visits abroad.

Some of dose visit dey even come wit rumours of death and criticism from many wey dey argue say such unclear trips fit stop di smooth running of di kontri.

Although di govment tok tok pesin tok ova one month ago say Paul Biya go return to Cameroon "as soon as possible".

But e still dey unclear wen citizens of Cameroon go finally see dia president back home.

One of di last publis appearance of Cameroon President Paul Biya na wen Pope Leo XIV show fo di kontri capital Yaounde. Dat Pope visit na part of im 11-day apostolic journey to Africa for April 2026.