The panafrican outlet Jeune Afrique, through multiple reports on this trip, confirmed that the Cameroonian Head of State is indeed in Geneva, Switzerland—a city where he frequently resides since assuming power on November 6, 1982.

Initially framed as a brief visit, the trip has since stretched indefinitely, sparking intense speculation about the 93-year-old leader’s health, despite repeated reassurances from authorities. Some observers have even floated the idea of a presidential vacancy in Cameroon.

Understanding presidential vacancy in Cameroon

It’s crucial to clarify that presidential vacancy in Cameroon cannot be determined—or even observed—by counting the days the Head of State spends abroad. The constitution imposes no such limit on presidential travel.

A vacancy can only be officially declared under three narrowly defined circumstances: in the event of death, resignation, or definitive incapacitation of the sitting President.

However, neither the constitution nor any law specifies what constitutes definitive incapacitation, leaving this criterion open to interpretation.

Thus, raising concerns about a presidential vacancy solely due to an extended foreign stay lacks legal foundation.

The President could, in theory, reside abroad and govern remotely for the entirety of his mandate without violating any legal provisions. The real issue here lies in political ethics and public perception.

The prolonged delay in forming the government after the October 12, 2025 presidential election—alongside the rushed reintroduction of the Vice-President role—may explain why some are now tracking Biya’s days abroad since June 7, 2026.

Over more than 43 uninterrupted years in power, the President has never signed or published a major decree from abroad.