Cameroon: Absent from the country for two months, Paul Biya approves a military reshuffle

A recent report shows that Cameroonian President Paul Biya, the world's oldest president, has not been seen in public for almost two months.

This has led to speculation about the president's health and whether he is still alive, a question that was answered by René Emmanuel Sadi, the government spokesman.

The 93-year-old president reportedly left the country on June 7 for what authorities described as a brief private holiday in Europe, but has not yet returned, marking one of his longest absences in recent years.

Biya has regularly spent long periods away from the country he governs, his age fueling speculation about his prolonged absences.

Government officials have attempted to allay public fears, stressing that his travels amounted to nothing more than a short break.

According to René Emmanuel, who recently spoke on the French television channel RFI, the president is still alive and should return soon, but he did not divulge any further information on the subject.

While discussions over the president's well-being still rage, he recently announced a major reshuffle within the country's top military leadership, as reported by Reuters.

New military appointment in Cameroon

The change at the head of the armed forces was announced by three presidential decrees published on Monday and available on page X of the Cameroonian president.

These measures include the promotion of the head of the Presidential Guard, who goes from colonel to brigadier general, and the replacement of commanders in four of the country's five combined military zones.

This reshuffle also resulted in the appointment of a new commander for the elite Rapid Intervention Brigade, one of Cameroon's most important security groups.

Other appointments affected the commanders of motorized infantry brigades across the country.

The president's absence, in contrast to the decree, has sparked speculation, with some internet users questioning the authenticity of the documents detailing the decrees.

Just last month, Cameroon's ruling party held a rare meeting of its top leaders amid mounting criticism over the president's prolonged absence.

For the past few weeks, Cameroon has been under internal political pressure.