Paul Biya has returned to Cameroon at 93 after 73 days abroad. Yet his return raises a bigger question than where he has been.
What exactly does Biya still bring to Cameroon at this stage of his presidency?
The man returned to Yaoundé with the full machinery of the CPDM mobilised. State media prepared a grand broadcast. Supporters gathered to welcome him. Yet Cameroonians barely saw him.
Instead, they saw a hand waving from behind tinted glass.
That image says more than the government may want to admit.
After 44 years in power, Biya’s return should inspire confidence. Instead, it has revived questions about his health, his capacity to govern and the real people running Cameroon.
At 93, Biya is the world’s oldest serving head of state. His age alone should not determine his ability to lead. However, leadership demands visibility, accountability and active engagement with the people.
Cameroon is facing a deep crisis. The war in the two English-speaking regions continues. The economy remains under pressure. Young Cameroonians struggle with unemployment and limited opportunities. Institutions remain weak, while uncertainty surrounds the country’s political future.
This is not the time for a president who appears only through tinted windows.
Cameroonians deserve a leader who can stand before them, speak clearly and account for his stewardship.
For decades, Biya’s government has presented his longevity as stability. But longevity without effective leadership becomes stagnation.
At 93, the question is no longer simply whether Paul Biya can return to Cameroon.
The harder question is whether his continued presence in power still serves Cameroon.
A country cannot remain permanently suspended between an ageing president and an uncertain succession.
Biya has returned.
But Cameroon needs more than his physical return. It needs leadership.
By Lucas Muma | BaretaNews
