YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya the world’s oldest sitting head of state at 93 has ordered a significant reshuffle of the military high command while remaining abroad for nearly two months. Biya left the country on June 7, 2026, for what his office described as a brief private stay in Europe; since then, he has remained in Geneva, Switzerland, without making any public appearances. This prolonged absence has sparked widespread speculation regarding his health and ability to govern, despite official assurances that he remains active in his duties.
Through decrees signed on Monday from Geneva , Biya appointed officers to key army posts and promoted five colonels to the rank of brigadier general. Among them is Raymond Jean Charles Beko’o Abondo, who was immediately confirmed as commander of the elite Presidential Guard a position he has held since 2013 and which entails responsibility for the president's personal security. The changes also include new commanders for four of Cameroon’s five joint military regions, a new chief of the Rapid Intervention Brigade, and other adjustments within the Armed Forces General Staff and motorized infantry units.
Military reshuffles of this nature have been a constant feature of Biya’s long tenure, which began in 1982. Similar adjustments occurred following the 2023 coup in neighboring Gabon, accompanied his controversial campaign for an eighth term last year, and took place again in June 2026. Analysts note that such measures are often intended to reinforce loyalty within the security forces during periods of political uncertainty or public scrutiny.
Government spokesman René Emmanuel Sadi has stated that the president is alive, continues to carry out his duties from Geneva, and will return soon, dismissing claims of a power vacuum. Biya has signed other decrees during his absence, including authorizations for international loan agreements. However, opposition figures such as Mamadou Mota of the CRM party have criticized the situation, describing it as an institutional vacuum and arguing that executive power cannot be effectively exercised from abroad.
Recent appointments have intensified public debate on social media and within political circles regarding the continuity of governance in Cameroon. With Biya still out of the country and no confirmed return date, attention remains focused on whether the military reshuffle will stabilize the security apparatus or, conversely, heighten questions surrounding the nonagenarian leader's prolonged stay abroad.