Brief-long stay: Biya clocks one month abroad!.

It should be recalled that Mvondo Ayolo, in a statement, dated June 7, 2026, wrote: “The President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Biya, left Yaounde early this afternoon, Sunday 7 June, 2026, in the company of his wife, Mrs. Chantal Biya, for a brief private stay in Europe…”. 

What the Unity Palace had said was a brief private stay abroad is turning to be a long stay. 

The nonagenarian leader, who is constantly criticised by the opposition as governing through “proxy and High Instructions”, left the nation’s capital, Yaounde, on June 7, 2026.

The President and the First Lady jetted out alongside the Minister, Director of the Civil Cabinet at the Presidency, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo; the Special Adviser at the Presidency, Vice Admiral Fouda Joseph and the Chief of State Protocol, Simon Pierre Bikele. 

Biya’s brief stay has now hit 31 days, prompting to begin wondering what might be causing his delay to return home. 

Though the Minister of Communication and Government’s Spokesperson, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, has claimed the Head of State “continues, as usual, to monitor the affairs of the Republic with due diligence and to take necessary measures where need be,” his prolonged absence is already not only attracting cat calls but pricking national conscience. 

Political watchers say they expected the Head of State to have since hurried back home, especially with the recent arrest of an individual who stormed the State broadcaster, CRTV, with a fake Presidential decree, bearing the appointment of a Vice President of the Republic. 

Before Biya’s departure to what was initially an unknown destination to Europe, he was last seen in public on May 20, 2026. That was during activities marking the National Day. 

His destination in Europe was later disclosed by Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi. This was when a report by Pan-African media organ, Jeune Afrique, on June 17, 2026, stated that the Head of State was admitted in a private hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The report had revealed that President Biya was undergoing medical care in the foreign hospital; following a malaise he supposedly suffered at the Unity Palace while receiving guests at a dinner to mark this year’s National Day celebration. 

In his rebuttal on June 18, 2026, Minister Rene Sadi described the said report as “malicious and unfounded speculation”. 

He acknowledged that the Head of State “is indeed in Geneva, Switzerland, but is by no means admitted in any medical facility, nor is he in a state of health that requires care to the extent suggested by Jeune Afrique”. 

The release further touched on the issue of the President’s health, which over the years has been a taboo subject.

Minister Rene Sadi in his statement, had stated that the Head of State “might legitimately take the opportunity of his stay in Geneva to undergo routine medical check-ups”. 

Omnipresent Biya monitoring State affairs 

Going by the Minister of Communication and Government’s Spokesperson, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, though abroad, President Biya “continues, as usual, to monitor the affairs of the Republic, with due diligence and to take necessary measures where need be”. 

In the past 30 days, the Head of State has sent series of telegrams to his counterparts and signed a decree promoting soldiers to higher ranks. 

It is common knowledge that the President of the Republic can carry out his functions from wherever he is. 

However, the Cameroonian leader appears to be omnipresent as he is out of the country. Yet, he is signing documents clearly indicting that they were done in Yaounde. 

Since jetting out of the country, Biya’s official telegrams to the Presidents of Portugal, Philippines, Russia, Island, Seychelles, Madagascar, Canada, Rwanda, Burundi, Belarus, USA, Comoros and Malawi; on the occasion of the celebration of their country’s National Day, indicate they were sent from Yaounde. 

Even the decree promoting soldiers to higher ranks, on June 25, 2026, indicates it was signed in Yaounde, whereas the Head of State is not in the country. 

This has left many wondering why the telegrams and the decrees are not indicating that they were signed in Geneva, where the Minister of Communication says the Head of State is, and “actively monitoring the affairs of the State.” 

When will Biya return home?

Since leaving the country, Cameroonians have been left assuming and guessing when their leader will return home. 

Though the number of days he was to spend out of the country were not detailed, some curious citizens have been questioning what could be prolonging his ‘brief’ stay abroad. 

The suspense is similar to the President’s discrete governance style, which he is known for in his 44 years and counting at the helm of the State. 

The argument over the years has been for Cameroonians to be adequately informed on whether the President is on annual leave or a break and the number of days such trips would take.

Hot files awaiting Biya 

Unlike in the past years, Biya’s expected return in the coming days, to quote Minister Rene Sadi, might come with many sweeping changes, based on his unfulfilled promises. 

One of the major files the Head of State is expected to handle, and immediately so, is that of the fake Presidential decree that was taken to CRTV by an individual, which appeared to bear the official seals of the Presidency of the Republic and a signature attributed to the President of the Republic. 

The issue has given rise to various interpretations, with many noting that it is a clear indication that Cameroonians are tired of waiting for the appointment of a Vice President, and a new government. 

To allay such fears, many are of the opinion that the Head of State, would upon his return, communicate on the outcome of the ongoing investigations and order the arrest of those who might have masterminded the act, which many say is tantamount to an institutional coup. 

Also urgent on Biya’s table is the convening of the Higher Judicial Council, whose members he appointed on June 2, 2026. The Council last met on August 10, 2020. 

Such a meeting, they say, will enable the Council to review some 897 pending complaints against magistrates, promote others to higher ranks, send those due retirement home and formally absorbed those trained in recent years into the corps. 

Seven months into the new mandate, despite promising to reshuffle the cabinet in the “coming days” and engage sweeping reforms to inject youth and women in the management of especially State corporations, many are also looking forward to Biya to fulfill his promises. 

Speculations are now rife that the Head of State may use the brief but long stay abroad to finalise work on the highly-awaited new government. The last time President Biya changed the government was on January 4, 2019! 

With the enactment of the amended Constitution, reintroducing the post of Vice President, the wish of many is for Biya to appoint the occupant of the office and form a new government to deliver on his campaign and oath-taking promises. 

After parting ways with the late Niat Njifenji Marcel at the Senate, and the late Cavaye Yeguie Djribril at the National Assembly, many believe Biya will use his brief stay abroad to review the State apparatus and see how to weed out other deadwoods in his bloated government and unproductive General Managers, some of whom have been at the helm of State corporations for plus three decades. 

Another issue which Biya is expected to address is that of retirees still occupying positions in administrative units. 

All of the country’s 10 Regional Governors have been on retirement for several years but Biya has not replaced them. 

Many Senior Divisional Officers, SDOs, in the 58 Divisions are also on bonus time, while several Divisional Officers, DOs, have been forgotten in some areas for years. 

This is also the case with Board Chairpersons and General Managers of many State corporations.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3841 of Wednesday July 08, 2026