PARIS, France — Speculation about the health of Cameroon’s 91-year-old President Paul Biya has intensified following his absence from several high-profile international events, including the United Nations General Assembly, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) summit, and the Sustainable Development Forum in Hamburg, Germany.
Amid swirling rumours, including unconfirmed reports that Biya was hospitalized at the Percy military hospital in Clamart, France, Cameroon’s ambassador to France, André Ekoumou, has categorically denied these claims.
“Paul Biya has never been hospitalised in Clamart or anywhere in France,” Ekoumou stated, expressing frustration at the persistence of such rumours.
The ambassador also confirmed that Biya is currently in Geneva, reportedly under medical supervision after a busy diplomatic schedule in July and August.
The rumours reached a peak on October 8, when South African channel ABS Africa TV erroneously announced the president’s death, further fueling public concern.
Officials in Yaoundé have also dismissed the rumours.
Cameroon’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, Grégoire Owona, took to social media to condemn those spreading misinformation, writing on his X account: “Those who are trying, by various means, to deceive public opinion by announcing the death of the Cameroonian head of state must pay a high price for such a gross lie.”
Jacques Fame Ndongo, Secretary for Communications of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement and Minister of Higher Education, echoed these sentiments, stating, “This news is completely baseless. Universal journalism relies on facts, not on fantasies or malicious news.”
Despite these reassurances, some political figures are calling for greater transparency from the presidency.
The Cameroon Democratic Union, led by MP Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, urged the government to provide official information regarding the president’s health and clarify whether a vacancy of power might be necessary.
As rumours persist, Biya’s prolonged absence from public life has left many Cameroonians questioning the stability of the country’s leadership, particularly ahead of the 2025 presidential election, for which Biya has been urged to run despite concerns over his health.
