Biya’s announced cabinet shakeup puts nation in suspense.

It was the first time in his over 43 years and still counting leadership that Biya was making such an announcement. Before now, citizens were only aware of such behind-the-scenes work on the day the President releases a government.

Since the announcement last Wednesday, almost every aspect of national life, especially the public service, seems to have come to a halt. 

Millions of Cameroonians have continued to each in their various spheres, make projections and prognostics on how the new government would look like.

The heightened interest in the government is linked to the long wait for such presidential action. 

Yesterday January 4, 2026, made exactly seven years since President Biya last reshuffled his cabinet! 

Even with several vacancies, which many had hoped was going to provoke him to act, Biya has remained the master of his times and seasons, acting when many a citizen least expected.

But 2026 is already an exception, especially given that he is the one who has put every Subdivision into calculations and expectations of having either a son or daughter called to serve as minister. 

Across social gatherings, citizens have continued to ruminate on the President’s promise to change the government. 

While Biya said several other things, the major thing which continues to play in the minds of many is the new government Biya announced. 

Biya made the announcement on what he said is a recommitment to continue to improve citizens’ wellbeing.

“…I readily acknowledge that, despite the laudable track record that I have just presented to you, sustained efforts still need to made, without delay, to significantly improve your living conditions. Such will be the priority for the Government that I will form in the coming days,” Biya declared.

Riddle of ‘coming days’

What has sparked heated discussions and debates across the nation is the battle to get the meaning of the words “coming days”. For some, it is a political riddle while for others, President Biya means business. 

To them, under seven days from the day he made the declaration, Cameroonians should be having a new or at worst new-old government to continue serving them.

Yet, there is a skeptical lot that is still arguing that Cameroonians risk waiting longer than usual for the new government to be announced. 

Some say irrespective of the evident urgency for a new government, Biya would have changed the government at most a month after he was re-elected on October 12, 2025, and sworn in on November 6.

Whether the coming days means this week, new faces will emerge to accelerate the President’s vision for his current mandate, what is certain is the unsettling effect of Biya’s pronouncements.

Such has been seen with ministers now permanently in Yaounde. The same cabinet members who sometimes work late into the night in their offices are now spotted everyday scuttling home after 4p.m.  to listen to the highly-awaited new government during the 5p.m. national newscast.

Others and their coteries anticipating to make a break into the President’s choice men, have also been nosing around the corridors of power to see if their names would be vetted for any posts. There have also been several leaked governments that continue to flood the public space.

Women, youth & ending injustices in appointments 

Aside announcing an imminent cabinet reshuffle, Biya went to details which observers say could mean a shift in the composition of the government. 

First, he insisted on bringing in women and youth in the management of public affairs, insisting that integrity will remain relevant, despite the will to change.

“…I will also ensure that measures are implemented to improve women empowerment and to guarantee greater youth participation in the management of public affairs,” the President stated, recalling that however, that “the idea is not to stigmatise other age groups or categories of our society…” 

“Beyond the age and gender criteria, qualifications, skills, integrity and commitment to serving the public interest will continue to be prioritised in access to or retention of duty posts, as well as in promotions”.

For the first time, also, the President touched on working to ensure no area is marginalised in terms of giving people the opportunity to lead.

“However, we will strive to better reconcile youth and experience than in the past and, above all, to vigorously combat injustices arising from membership of a particular ethnic or cultural group, gender, religion or age group,” he stated.

Biya told compatriots that through such adjustments, “…we will be able to better promote equal opportunities and enable skills that are too often overlooked, at home and in the diaspora, to participate in the lofty task of nation building”.

No sweeping changes?

Biya the political Maradona, in all his intents and subtle details about what the announced new government would look like cautioned the population. He was straight forward that people of other age groups won’t be ignored.

His insistence that the “idea is not to stigmatise other age groups,” has seen many stating emphatically that it means several old guards may simply change portfolios and continue to feed from Biya’s table.

New geopolitics of October 12 poll & heads that may roll

President Biya may have been re-elected but his tone and gist, analysts say, show he is in the know of the new realities of Cameroon. 

One of the first realities, they say, is that he is aware his popularity dropped from over 71 percent in 2018 to 53.66 percent in 2025.

In addition to this, the tradition of rewarding administrative units that massively contributed to retaining him in power before bringing in others to send across a message of national unity, it is being said, is a huge factor.

Thus, they are those who believe that President Biya’s current political estate would see certain heavyweights who have been around for several years kick out in favour of new faces. Biya, official results show, lost election in some of his traditional strongholds. 

Politically, many say beyond such being a message from the populace yearning for change, it also shows the President’s men and women in those areas failed to deliver. 

The consequences of such performances, it is now being said, will be felt in the announced new government.

Can opposition & diaspora be brought on board?

Statutorily, Biya has in time past, drafted citizens from outside the country into the government alongside supporters of traditional allies. 

The gaming this time around, analysts say, is pointing to some traditional opposition hardliners being brought into government.

The rumour mill has since the October 12, 2025 presidential election, tipped the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF and the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN, as platforms that could join government. Biya’s December 31 declaration further provoked debates along such lines. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3664 of Monday January 05, 2025