Cameroonian President Paul Biya, a prominent and enduring figure in the nation’s history, has initiated a sweeping Cameroon army reshuffle. This significant move by the head of state, who has been conspicuously absent from public view for nearly two months, comes amidst escalating concerns surrounding his extended stay abroad.

The 93-year-old president recently appointed several individuals to pivotal roles within the military hierarchy and elevated five colonels to the distinguished rank of brigadier general.

Such military reassignments are a recurring feature of the Biya administration, often implemented during periods of intense public scrutiny or when the government perceives a heightened sense of vulnerability. For example, three years prior, an unexpected coup in neighboring Gabon, which saw the Bongo dynasty ousted and sent ripples of instability across the continent, prompted an immediate restructuring of Cameroon’s military command.

Similarly, during his pursuit of a contentious eighth term in last year’s presidential election, Biya once again restructured the army’s senior echelons. More recently, last June, he authorized the promotion of numerous defense and security force members to higher ranks.

The specific circumstances surrounding these latest changes have sparked considerable debate, particularly across various social media platforms. President Biya signed these distinct decrees on Monday from Geneva, Switzerland, where he has been residing since his departure from Cameroon on June 7th for what his office termed a “brief private stay.”

Within Cameroon, widespread criticism has emerged regarding the lack of official information about his activities and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the duration of his trip abroad. Furthermore, the president’s promise to establish a new government following last year’s elections remains unfulfilled, and the vice-presidential post, created last April, is still vacant.

Despite his absence, now extending for nearly 60 days, he has continued to sign various decrees, including those greenlighting his government to enter into loan agreements with international financial institutions.

His prolonged Paul Biya absence has reignited speculation about his health, although the government has consistently denied any reports suggesting the head of state has been hospitalized. Two years prior, press freedom organizations voiced outrage when Cameroonian media were reportedly barred from reporting on President Biya’s health condition.

René Emmanuel Sadi, Cameroon’s Minister of Communication, confirmed in an interview that the president was in good health and would soon return to the country. He also dismissed the opposition’s assertions that the nonagenarian leader’s absence constituted a vacuum at the helm of the state, maintaining that Biya continues to effectively govern from Geneva.

Conversely, Mamadou Mota, Vice-President of the opposition party CRM, contends that President Biya’s extended absence has created a “blatant institutional vacuum” in Cameroon politics. “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,” he declared last month, articulating the growing frustration within opposition ranks regarding the president’s remote governance.