President Biya, 92, says he’ll run for an eighth term, triggering backlash and renewed health concerns.
Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya has announced his intention to run for an eighth term in the October 12 presidential election, dismissing persistent health concerns and growing public backlash.
In June 2004, following a long trip abroad, Biya joked, “People are interested in my funeral… I’ll see them in 20 years.” Now 21 years later, he remains in power, having led the Central African country since 1982.
His re-election bid has sparked a rare wave of criticism in Cameroon’s media. “Nous sommes foutus” (“We are screwed”), read the front page of Le Messager on Monday alongside Biya’s image—an unusually direct headline in a country where press freedom is limited.
“Most of us don’t believe Biya is actually running the country anymore,” said tech entrepreneur Rebecca Enonchong. “His decision to run again, if it’s really his, shows just how out of touch the system is.”
Despite economic hardship, separatist conflict, and Islamist threats, Biya remains largely absent from public life, fuelling speculation about his health.