The Cameroonian government has dismissed widespread rumors regarding the health of its 91-year-old president, Paul Biya, labeling the reports as “pure fantasy.” Concerns about the nonagenarian leader’s well-being arose after he was absent from public view following his attendance at the China-Africa forum in Beijing in early September.
Biya’s failure to attend a summit in France last weekend further fueled speculation about his health, with opposition parties and civil society organizations demanding an official update. Government spokesperson Rene Sadi responded by assuring the public that “the head of state is in good health and will be returning to Cameroon in the coming days.”
Biya’s absence from the summit of French-speaking leaders in Paris raised concerns among some African ministers, with one anonymous official stating, “He’s over 90, he hasn’t been involved in day-to-day business for a long time, but if he dies, the situation is likely to get out of hand.”