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The Cameroonian government has instituted a media blackout regarding discussions on the health of President Paul Biya, who is Africa’s second-longest-ruling leader at 91. This measure follows persistent rumors suggesting that the president is in critical condition, as indicated by a document obtained by AFP.
Having not appeared in public since early September, Biya, who holds the title of the world’s oldest leader, has sparked a flurry of online rumors suggesting that his health may be deteriorating.
“The head of state is the principal institution of the republic, and discussions on his condition are a matter of national security,” said the document addressed to regional governors, which was dated October 9 and signed by Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji.
“All discussion in the media on the president’s condition is therefore officially banned.”
The document featured a bold red stamp stating “highly urgent” and included a stern warning that individuals who breach this order would face severe legal repercussions, subjecting them to the “full force of the law.”
Read also: Paul Biya Is Alive, Cameroon Condemns ‘Malicious’ Rumors
Under this directive, regional governors are required to create “monitoring cells” aimed at monitoring and tracking the content produced by private media, encompassing both traditional outlets and social media platforms.
Biya has presided over Cameroon for over four decades, specifically 41 years, placing him just behind 82-year-old Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, who has maintained his grip on power for 45 years.
Biya’s last public appearance was at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing last month.
He did not take part in the subsequent United Nations General Assembly opening in New York or a summit of French-speaking countries in Paris.
The president’s office issued a statement Tuesday saying Biya was in “excellent health”, condemning rumours to the contrary as “disinformation”.
He “is working and attending to his affairs in Geneva,” said a government spokesman, adding Biya would return to Cameroon “in the coming days”.
Biya’s public appearances have grown sparse in recent years — mainly rare televised speeches, pre-recorded and haltingly delivered, and family photos and videos showing him alongside his influential wife, Chantal.
