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The Cameroonian government has firmly denied reports alleging the death of 91-year-old President Paul Biya, stressing that the leader remains alive despite rumors to the contrary.
For almost a month, widespread speculation has surrounded Biya’s health, fueling numerous rumors and concerns.
Successive cancellations by the Cameroonian president saw him skip the United Nations General Assembly, the International Organisation of La Francophonie summit, and the Sustainable Development Forum in Hamburg, Germany.
The rumors surrounding the president’s health hit a high point on Tuesday when ABS Africa TV reported his death.
Biya has not been seen publicly since September 8, when he left Beijing after attending the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC).
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He had been expected to return to Cameroon in mid-September after his stay in China.
Preparations for his arrival had been put in place but were later lifted when the president’s medical team advised him to remain in Switzerland.
Biya has regularly undergone medical care and extended periods of rest in Switzerland.
According to the Cameroon Intelligence Report, an online platform, the president has been battling heart problems and memory failure for many years.
The report added that Biya’s health was worsened by prostate cancer, which spread to other vital organs, eventually claiming his life over the weekend at a hospital in an uncertain location of Paris or Geneva.
