Paul Biya reshuffles Cameroon army from Geneva amid prolonged absence
Cameroon's leader Paul Biya has issued decrees from Switzerland to reshuffle the military, intensifying public debate over his prolonged absence.
Cameroon's veteran leader Paul Biya has reshuffled the country's military through separate decrees issued from abroad. The move by the world's oldest president comes amid growing public unease over his extended stay away from the country.
The president appointed officials to key positions within the army and promoted five colonels to the rank of brigadier general. Among those promoted is Raymond Jean Charles Beko'o Abondo, who was simultaneously reappointed as commander of the elite presidential guard responsible for protecting Biya—a role he has held since 2013.
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Such military shake-ups are not unusual under the administration, particularly during periods of intense public scrutiny or perceived weakness. Following an unexpected coup in neighbouring Gabon that toppled the Bongo dynasty and sent shockwaves across the continent, Cameroon immediately adjusted its military leadership. Similar top-level shuffles occurred while Biya ran for a controversial eighth term in power at last year's presidential election, and additional promotions were issued in June this year.
The circumstances of these latest appointments have intensified public debate, especially among social media users. Biya signed the decrees on Monday from the Swiss city of Geneva, where he has been based since leaving Cameroon on 7 June for what his team initially described as a brief private stay. He has now been abroad for nearly sixty days, sparking criticism over the lack of information regarding his activities and the indefinite duration of his foreign trip.
His continued absence has left several political promises unfulfilled. After securing his eighth term, he pledged to name a new cabinet but has yet to do so. Furthermore, a newly created position of vice-president established in April remains unfilled. Despite being away from the capital, Biya has continued to sign official documents, including decrees authorising the government to secure loan agreements with international financial institutions.
The prolonged trip has reignited speculation concerning the head of state's health, though the government has repeatedly debunked reports alleging that the leader has been hospitalised. Tensions over information flow date back two years, when press freedom groups expressed outrage after authorities banned domestic media outlets from reporting on the president's health.
Government officials have pushed back against criticism regarding the remote governance. Cameroon's Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi insisted during an interview with French-language broadcaster RFI that the president is alive and will be returning to the country soon. Sadi dismissed opposition allegations that the nonagenarian leader's absence creates a vacancy at the helm of the state, maintaining that Biya continues to work from Geneva.
Opposition figures strongly disagree with the official assessment. Mamadou Mota, vice-president of the opposition CRM party, argued that the ongoing absence inflicts a glaring institutional vacuum upon the nation.
Mota further criticised the administration's method of leadership from afar, stating in comments noted by AOL:"A country cannot be governed by remote control while critical socioeconomic challenges go unaddressed,"
Mamadou Mota, CRM party vice-president, via The Star
"Executive power is exercised at the heart of the nation, not through smoke signals or telepathy from hotel suites on the other side of the world."
Mamadou Mota, CRM party vice-president, via AOL
Timeline of Recent Events
- Two years ago: Authorities ban domestic media outlets from reporting on the president's health, sparking outrage from press freedom groups.
- Three years ago: An unexpected coup in neighbouring Gabon topples the Bongo dynasty, prompting an immediate military leadership reshuffle in Cameroon.
- April: A new post of vice-president is created, which remains unfilled.
- 7 June: Biya leaves Cameroon for what his team describes as a brief private stay in Geneva.
- June: Biya promotes several members of the defence and security forces to higher ranks.
- October 7, 2025: Biya campaigns during the presidential election, later securing an eighth term.
- Monday: Biya issues separate decrees from Switzerland to reshuffle the military and promote five colonels to brigadier general.
As debates over the institutional vacuum persist, the administration has given no firm timeline for when the president will conclude his Swiss stay and return to Cameroon.
