By Miracle Ogunde
Cameroon’s 92-year-old President, widely regarded as the world’s oldest serving head of state, is considering another term in office after four decades in power.
Reports suggest that many, including the fragmented opposition, have little doubt that the leader, who first took office in 1982, will seek an eighth term in the October elections.
Government spokesperson and Communication Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi stated last month: “The president has already said that he will make known whether or not he is a candidate in this election at the appropriate time.”
Biya has yet to designate a successor, and any discussion of his potential replacement remains largely off-limits.
Human rights activists have accused Biya of tightening his grip on power, citing repression, arrests, and prison sentences meted out to dissenters, particularly after the contested 2018 elections.
Former minister Garga Haman Adji, in an interview with the daily Mutations in July, remarked: “In the current context, even if he were lying on a stretcher, candidate Biya will be re-elected.”
Concerns over Biya’s health intensified last year when he was absent from public engagements for several weeks.
According to AFP, persistent speculation led authorities to release a statement confirming that Biya was in Switzerland, where he has previously spent extended stays at luxury resorts.
Following his return to Cameroon on 21 October, Biya’s public appearances have remained limited to a handful of official engagements, including a regional summit in the capital, Yaoundé, and televised speeches.
As in previous election years, calls from various quarters urging him to seek another term have grown.
“My determination to serve you remains intact and is strengthened on a daily basis, given the scale of the challenges we face,” Biya said in his end-of-year address, welcoming what he described as “massive support.”
In January, traditional leaders pledged their “total and unwavering” backing for him. Some of his supporters on Facebook have insisted that Biya remains “strong” and capable of serving two more terms.
Biya and his government continue to face criticism from international human rights organisations over allegations of suppressing opposition voices.
The veteran leader secured a seventh term seven years ago in an election marred by controversy and followed by a crackdown on political dissent.
Calls for him to step down remain muted.
“In recent times, the anxieties of the vast majority of Cameroonians have increasingly transformed into cries of distress in the face of the misery they are experiencing and the degradation of our beautiful country,” Catholic bishops stated during an episcopal conference.
They also condemned the “corruption”, unemployment, and ongoing violence affecting parts of the country.
Since 2009, Cameroon’s Far North region has endured attacks from Boko Haram militants and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
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