Paul Biya: Cameroon president promote head of presidential guard, reshuffle army despite long absence from di kontri
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Cameroon veteran leader Paul Biya – wey pipo neva see for public for nearly two months – don reshuffle di kontri military for di middle of growing concerns ova im long stay abroad.
Di 93-year-old president appoint officials to key positions within di army and e promote five colonels to di rank of brigadier general.
One of di newly promoted brigadier generals na Raymond Jean Charles Beko’o Abondo, wey e immediately reappoint as commander of di elite presidential guard -wey im work na to protect Biya – one position e don occupy since 2013.
Dis kain shake-ups no dey unusual under Biya administration, particularly for time of intense public scrutiny or perceived weakness.
Afta one unexpected coup three years ago for neighbouring Gabon, wey remove di Bongo dynasty and send shockwaves across di continent, Cameroon immediately reshuffle dia military leadership.
As e also dey run for one controversial eighth term in power for 2025 presidential election, Biya reshuffle di top ogas for di army.
Again, for June dis year, e promote plenty members of di defence and security forces to higher ranks.
Di circumstances under which di latest changes take happun don spark plenty debate, especially among social media users.
Biya make di appointments for separate decrees on Monday, 3 August from di Swiss city of Geneva, wia e dey stay since e comot Cameroon on 7 June for wetin im team describe as “brief private stay”.
Many pipo for Cameroon don condemn di lack of information about im activities plus di uncertainty wey surround di duration of im foreign trip.
Afta last year election, e bin promise to announce a new cabinet, but e neva do am Di new post of vice-president wey e create for April still dey unoccupied.
During im nearly 60-day period abroad so far, e don sign several oda decrees, wey include some wey e authorise im govment to sign loan agreements wit international financial institutions.
Im absence don spark further speculation about im health, but di govment don continually debunk reports say di head of state dey for hospital.
Press freedom groups bin para wen dem announce two years ago say di media for Cameroon dey banned from reporting on Biya health.
Cameroon Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi tok say di president dey alive and and go return to di kontri soon, during one interview wit French-language broadcaster RFI.
E also dismiss allegations by di opposition say di nonagenarian leader absence mean vacancy for di helm of di state, dem say Biya continue to work from Geneva.
But President Biya continuing absence mean say Cameroon get “glaring institutional vacuum”, opposition CRM party vice-president, Mamadou Mota tok.
“You no fit lead a kontri by remote control while critical socioeconomic challenges go unaddressed,” e tok last week.
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