Cameroon Silences Media on President Biya’s Health Amid Speculation

In a move that has sparked criticism and concerns over press freedom, Cameroon has banned the media from discussing the health of President Paul Biya, who has not been seen in public since early September. The 91-year-old leader's absence from key international events has fueled speculation about his well-being, leading the government to impose strict measures on media coverage regarding the matter.

Cameroon’s Interior Minister, Paul Atanga Nji, issued the ban in a letter dated October 9, 2024, declaring that any debate about the president’s health was "strictly prohibited." The directive, addressed to regional governors, also ordered the establishment of “monitoring cells” to oversee media and online content. According to the letter, any violation of this ban would be considered a national security threat, and offenders would face severe legal consequences.

The urgency of the issue was underscored by the bold “highly urgent” stamp on the letter. The government’s decision follows weeks of rumors surrounding Biya’s condition, particularly after his conspicuous absence from several high-profile international gatherings. Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades, last appeared in public at the China-Africa summit in Beijing in early September. He missed the United Nations General Assembly in New York and a summit of French-speaking nations in Paris, both of which raised further concerns about his health.

In response to the mounting speculation, Cameroonian government spokesperson Rene Sadi sought to calm the public. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Sadi confirmed that President Biya had traveled to Europe for personal reasons following his trip to Beijing, dismissing widespread rumors about the leader’s condition as “pure fantasy.”

“The government unequivocally states that these rumors are unfounded,” said Sadi, insisting that Biya is “in good health” and will return to Cameroon “in the coming days.”

Despite these assurances, the ban on discussing Biya’s health has been met with backlash, both locally and internationally. Journalists and media organizations have decried the move as an attack on press freedom and an attempt at state censorship.

“It’s only natural that Cameroonians are concerned about the whereabouts and well-being of their president,” said Hycenth Chia, a journalist and talk show host with Canal 2 International, a privately owned television station based in Yaoundé. “In other democracies, including the U.S. with President Joe Biden, the health of leaders is openly discussed, but here it remains a taboo subject,” he added in an interview with Reuters.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also voiced strong opposition to the media blackout. Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa Program Coordinator, expressed her outrage, stating, “Trying to hide behind national security to suppress discussion on such a critical issue is simply unacceptable.” Quintal emphasized the importance of transparency, especially when it concerns a leader who has ruled for as long as Biya.

Cameroon's National Communication Council, the regulatory body overseeing the country's media, was unavailable for comment on the ban.

Observers have raised concerns about what would happen in the event of President Biya's death, given the absence of a clear succession plan. Political analysts believe that any power vacuum could further destabilize West and Central Africa, a region already rattled by eight coups since 2020 and several other failed attempts to overthrow governments.

Biya, who has been president of Cameroon since 1982, is Africa’s second longest-serving leader, surpassed only by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, who has held power since 1979.

As Cameroon braces for the possible implications of Biya’s health, the media blackout is likely to stoke further uncertainty among the country’s citizens, who are accustomed to having the president’s longevity dominate the political landscape.