CAMEROON’S governmen
t has banned any public discussion regarding the health of 91-year-old President Paul Biya, according to a letter shared by the interior ministry. This decision follows widespread speculation about the president’s well-being after his prolonged absence from public appearances.
Earlier this week, officials released statements asserting that President Biya, currently on a private visit to Geneva, is in good health, dismissing reports of illness as ‘pure fantasy.’
In a letter dated October 9, Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji informed regional governors that discussing the president’s health is now a matter of national security. ‘Any debate in the media about the president’s condition is therefore strictly prohibited. Offenders will face the full force of the law,’ Nji warned.
He
also instructed governors to establish units to monitor discussions on private media channels and social networks.
Cameroon, a nation rich in cocoa and oil, has had only two presidents since gaining independence in the early 1960s. Concerns about a potential succession crisis are growing, with fears of instability if President Biya, who has ruled for over four decades, becomes too unwell to remain in office or dies.
The move to silence discussion has sparked criticism, with some describing it as state censorship. Hycenth Chia, a journalist and talk show host on privately-owned Canal2 International, said, ‘The president is elected by Cameroonians, and it’s natural for people to be concerned about his whereabouts. We see open discussions about the health of leaders like Joe Biden, but here it’s taboo.’
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also condemned the decision. Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa Programme, said, ‘Trying to hide behind national security on such an important issue of national significance is outrageous.’
President Biya has not been seen in public since attending a China-Africa forum in early September. His absence from a recent summit in France has only fuelled further public speculation about his health.
Cameroon’s media regulator, the National Communication Council, has yet to comment on the matter.
