Cameroon Presidency Dismisses De∆th Rumours, Says 93-Year-Old Paul Biya, Who Has Ruled Since 1982, Is Working
Cameroon Presidency Dismisses Death Rumours, Says 93-Year-Old Paul Biya, Who Has Ruled Since 1982, Is Working
Biya, 93, returned to Cameroon on August 20 after spending more than 10 weeks abroad in Geneva, Switzerland.
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has been declared alive and working by a senior presidential aide following renewed social media rumours claiming he had died, with the presidency dismissing the reports on Friday, October 16, 2026.
Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, director of the Civil Cabinet at the Cameroonian presidency, rejected the claim in comments to Jeune Afrique, asking, “Can you hide the death of a head of state?” He described the report as fake and said Biya was in good health and continuing to work, according to The Africa Report.
The rumour began on Thursday, October 15, when an account named “Human Rights Forum” posted on X that Biya had died. The account also claimed that political figures were discussing his replacement before an official announcement. The post attracted hundreds of thousands of views, further fuelling speculation about the president’s condition.
Mvondo Ayolo said a presidential decree published on October 15 and signed by Biya showed that the president was still carrying out official duties. He condemned the spread of false information about the president’s health and said there was no reason for concern.
Biya, 93, returned to Cameroon on August 20 after spending more than 10 weeks abroad in Geneva, Switzerland.
He left the country on June 7 for what his office described as a brief private stay in Europe. His prolonged absence raised questions about his health and ability to govern, despite repeated assurances from government officials.
Biya’s extended absence also prompted criticism from opposition figures, who questioned how state affairs were being managed while he was abroad. Opposition lawmaker Jean Michel Nintcheu urged the Constitutional Court to declare the presidency vacant, while other political figures called for greater clarity about the president’s condition.
Biya has ruled Cameroon since 1982 and began his eighth term in November 2025 following a disputed presidential election. He also served as the Prime Minister of Cameroon from June 30, 1975, to November 6, 1982
In April 2026, lawmakers approved the reintroduction of the vice-president position, amid continuing questions about succession and the transfer of power should the president become unable to govern.
The latest denial contradicts the claims circulating on social media. However, the rumours have renewed public attention on Biya’s health, his prolonged absences from Cameroon and the country’s constitutional arrangements for presidential succession.
