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Cameroon’s 93-year-old President Paul Biya returned to the capital, Yaounde, after a two-month stay in Geneva, Switzerland.
His prolonged absence ignited fierce public debate over his capacity to lead following 44 years in power.
Opposition leaders condemned his trip, warning that the extended stay left the nation on autopilot while crucial government appointments remained stalled.
Government officials insisted Biya actively managed state affairs while abroad, but critics point out a history of costly medical stays in Europe.
Investigative reports estimate that Biya has spent years abroad, spending tens of millions of dollars in public funds.
His extended absences regularly draw international criticism, particularly as Cameroon struggles with severe economic disparities, extreme poverty, and ongoing violence from terrorist insurgents and Anglophone separatists.
Biya maintains tight control over the government by deploying elite security forces, suppressing opposition candidates, and centralising authority.
Having survived a 1984 coup attempt, he rarely makes unscripted public appearances and continues to consolidate power by marginalising political rivals.
