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The government of Cameroon has prohibited any public discussion regarding the health status of President Paul Biya, who is 91 years old. This decision follows a recent letter from the interior ministry, which was shared with the public, amid growing speculation about the president’s well-being due to his extended absence from the public eye.
In the days preceding this announcement, authorities released statements asserting that President Biya was on a private visit to Geneva and was in good health, labeling any reports of his potential illness as “pure fantasy.” However, this did little to quell the public’s concern and curiosity.
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On October 9, Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji sent a letter to regional governors, emphasizing that discussing the president’s health had become a matter of national security. He stated, “any debate in the media about the president’s condition is therefore strictly prohibited. Offenders will face the full force of the law.” The letter mandated the establishment of monitoring units tasked with overseeing broadcasts on private media channels and scrutinizing social media platforms.
Cameroon, known for its cocoa and oil production, has had only two presidents since gaining independence from France and Britain in the early 1960s. The prospect of President Biya’s incapacity or death raises concerns about a chaotic succession crisis, given the political landscape of the country.
Critics have condemned this move as a blatant act of state censorship. Hycenth Chia, a journalist and talk show host at the privately owned television channel Canal2 International in Yaoundé, expressed his belief that the public has a right to be concerned about the president’s condition since he is elected by the people. He pointed out that while there are open discussions about the health of leaders like Joe Biden, similar conversations about President Biya are considered taboo in Cameroon.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom advocacy organization, has expressed its deep concern regarding this situation. Angela Quintal, head of the CPJ’s Africa Program, described the government’s rationale of invoking national security as a means to avoid addressing an issue of significant national importance as “outrageous.”
Since attending a China-Africa forum in Beijing in early September, President Biya has not made any public appearances. His absence from a scheduled summit in France the previous weekend further fueled public speculation regarding his health. The combination of these factors has led to increased anxiety and curiosity among the Cameroonian population, who are left in the dark about the state of their president’s health.
the government’s decision to silence discussions about President Biya’s health has sparked criticism and raised concerns about press freedom in Cameroon. The political climate is tense, with fears of a potential leadership vacuum looming if the president’s health continues to deteriorate without transparency. The response from the government suggests a desire to maintain control over information and quell any unrest that might arise from public speculation about the president’s condition.
