Yaoundé, Cameroon – October 11, 2024: The Cameroonian government has imposed a ban on any public discourse regarding the health of 91-year-old President Paul Biya. The move comes in the wake of growing speculation about the president’s well-being, following his extended absence from public view.
Earlier this week, authorities issued statements assuring the public that President Biya was on a private visit to Geneva and in good health. They dismissed reports of his illness as “pure fantasy.”
In a letter addressed to regional governors on October 9, Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji declared that discussions about the president’s health were a matter of national security. He issued a strict prohibition on any such debates in the media, warning that offenders would face legal consequences.
The minister ordered governors to establish units to monitor broadcasts on private media channels and social networks for any violations of the ban.
Cameroon, a country known for its two-president history since independence, faces the prospect of a turbulent succession crisis if President Biya’s health deteriorates to the point where he is unable to fulfill his duties.
The National Communication Council, Cameroon’s media regulator, could not be reached for comment on the government’s decision.
The ban has faced criticism from various quarters, with many viewing it as an act of state censorship. Hycenth Chia, a Yaoundé-based journalist and talk show host, expressed concern about the restrictions on free speech. He noted that discussions about the health of world leaders, such as Joe Biden, are common in other countries but are considered taboo in Cameroon.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also voiced its concerns about the ban. Angela Quintal, head of the CPJ’s Africa Program, criticized the government’s attempt to justify the censorship on national security grounds.
President Biya has not been seen in public since attending a China-Africa forum in Beijing in early September. His absence from a summit in France last weekend further fueled public speculation about his health.
