The political editorial broadcast on Monday, July 20, 2026, via Radio Tiémeni Siantou (90.5 FM in Yaoundé and Bafang), by Eric Boniface Tchouakeu, raises critical questions about the Cameroonian head of state’s prolonged private visit to Europe.

Here is the full editorial:

President Paul Biya left Cameroon on June 7, 2026, officially for a short private stay in Europe, as stated in a press release from his Chief of Staff, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo.

While the government has confirmed the President is currently in Geneva, Switzerland—a destination he has frequented since assuming office on November 6, 1982—the unusually extended duration of this trip has sparked intense debate. Speculation about Paul Biya’s health, now 93, persists despite repeated reassurances from authorities. Some observers even suggest the possibility of a power vacuum in Cameroon.

It is important to clarify that, contrary to widespread misconceptions, the absence of the President from national territory does not automatically constitute a power vacuum in Cameroon. The constitution does not impose any limit on the number of days a President may spend abroad. A power vacuum can only be declared under three strictly defined circumstances: the President’s death, resignation, or permanent incapacity.

However, neither the constitution nor any other legal text specifies what constitutes permanent incapacity, leaving room for interpretation. Therefore, concerns about a power vacuum based solely on the President’s prolonged stay abroad are legally unfounded.

In fact, the law permits the President to reside abroad and govern Cameroon remotely throughout their term without violating any legal provisions. The real issue here is one of political ethics and governance rather than legality.

The delayed formation of the government following the October 12, 2025, presidential election—and the swift reintroduction of the Vice-President position—may explain why some citizens are closely tracking the number of days Paul Biya has spent outside Cameroon since June 7, 2026. This is particularly notable given that, in over 43 uninterrupted years in power, he has never issued or published a major decree from abroad.