Cameroon on autopilot? - Biya's two-month absence raises questions over leadership in Cameroon
Cameroonian President Paul Biya's two-month absence from the country has fuelled questions over who is running the government, particularly after a major military reshuffle was carried out while he remained abroad.
Biya left Yaounde on June 7 for what his office described as a "brief private stay in Europe", with the government later confirming he was in Switzerland.
Aristide Eko of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation said the Constitution sets no clear limit on presidential absences but questioned who was overseeing the country.
"Today, we do not know who is truly running the country," Eko said, describing Cameroon as operating "on autopilot".
While abroad, Biya reshuffled the military leadership, replacing commanders in four of the country's five joint military regions and promoting several senior officers.
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Social activist Enersto Yene questioned how presidential decrees were being signed in Yaounde while Biya was in Geneva.
The Cameroon Democratic Union called for clearer rules requiring the president to delegate responsibilities while abroad to avoid uncertainty over who holds authority.
The ruling CPDM, however, maintained that Biya continued to perform his presidential duties while outside the country.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
