Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, who has not appeared publicly for nearly two months, announced a military restructuring through official decrees issued from Geneva on Monday. The reorganization included the appointment of officials to key military positions and the promotion of five colonels to the rank of brigadier general. Raymond Jean Charles Beko’o Abondo, one of the newly promoted officers, was reappointed as commander of the presidential guard, a role he has held since 2013.
Biya departed Cameroon on 7 June, with his office characterizing the trip as a brief private visit to Switzerland. However, his extended absence has generated considerable public discussion, particularly regarding the lack of transparency about his activities and the uncertain timeline for his return. During his nearly 60-day period outside the country, he has issued multiple decrees, including authorizations for his government to negotiate loan agreements with international financial institutions.
Military reshuffles under Biya’s administration have become routine occurrences during periods of heightened public scrutiny or perceived political vulnerability. The government reshuffled military leadership following the coup in neighboring Gabon three years prior, during his campaign for an eighth presidential term last year, and again in June of this year. The timing and circumstances of the current reorganization have prompted debate, particularly among social media users in the country.
Biya’s prolonged absence has prompted speculation regarding his health, though government officials have repeatedly denied reports of hospitalization. Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi stated in an interview that the president remains alive and will soon return to Cameroon, asserting that Biya continues to conduct governmental work from Geneva. Opposition figures have contested this characterization, with the CRM party’s vice-president contending that the extended absence constitutes an institutional void, arguing that executive authority must be exercised from the seat of government rather than remotely from abroad.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI