Me voici donc à Yaounde.

President Biya in close chat with Minister of State, Ngoh Ngoh, after alighting from the plane at the Yaounde Nsimalen Int’l Airport Monday

The Head of State, President Paul Biya, has returned to the country at last, after spending 49 days out of the country.

The plane that transported the Head of State and wife, Chantal Biya, touched down at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport, a few minutes after 5p.m. Monday.

The presidential couple was treated to a rapturous reception.  This was mostly animated by thousands of supporters of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party, where Biya is the National Chairman. They lined up the major streets of Yaounde, right up to the Presidency, to give the President an exceptional welcome.

For Biya and his supporters, analyst say it was not an ordinary return home. They likened the mobilisation given the Head of State to being a reply to those who had written him off through rumours. 

To quote Biya during once of his visits to Douala, in 1991, when he had sarcastically told critics: “Me voici donc à Douala”, they say yesterday’s return without any pronouncement, was synonymous to Biya telling whoever cares to listen that: “Me voici donc à Yaoundé,” roughly translated in English language: “Here am I in Yaounde”.

Besides being welcomed as he descended the plane by the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, hundreds of supporters of the CPDM party mobilised for the event, overshadowed every other grouping to make Biya to feel the warmth of Yaounde.

Biya had a brief discussion with Ngoh Ngoh before boarding his car and waving supporters as the motorcade left the airport to the Presidency of the Republic. 

There was a high concentration of supporters across the President’s itinerary right up to the entrance of the Unity Palace.

Reacting to the return, Fru Jonathan, Chargé de mission at the CPDM Central Committee, said the massive mobilisation was to show how happy party supporters were with Biya’s return. He was guest on a special broadcast program on CRTV television yesterday.

 Fru Jonathan, who is also former Section President of CPDM Mezam II (Santa), said the return of Biya puts an end to the rumours about his health. With November 6th just weeks away, Fru Jonathan said CPDM supporters will not only be celebrating Biya’s 42nd anniversary in power but will also be praying for God to give him long life and wisdom.

 

 

Context of Biya’s return

Unlike at other times, Biya’s return to the country yesterday coincided with a context that has even surpassed what happened in June 2004, when rumours went wild that he had died. This time around, several individuals had peddled similar rumours, claiming the Head of State was no longer alive. Others had claimed he was in bad shape. His return to the country yesterday puts an end to such debates and claims of the President not being in fine form.

Recall that Paul Biya had left Yaounde on September 2, 2024, and arrived Beijing, China, two days later. He had actively taken part in the 4th Forum on China Africa Cooperation, FOCAC, that ended on September 6, 2024. 

Biya later granted audiences to some Chinese investors, who had expressed interest in Cameroon’s potentials. 

The last time the nation heard of him was when he left Beijing on September 8, to an unannounced destination. 

The Minister, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Republic, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, announced in an October 8 statement that Biya was in Geneva, Switzerland. 

This was in the wake of pressure from some interest groups and civil society organisations. Then, Ayolo had insisted that Biya was running the country from Geneva, assuring Cameroonians that there was no need for fear.

On October 9, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, issued a release, proscribing media debates about the Head of State’s health. He had also instructed governors to create surveillance units nationwide. 

As Head of State, Atanga Nji had argued that Biya is the first institution of the country and as such, issues relating to his health remain State security.

 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3267 of Tuesday October 22, 2024

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