Cameroonians await government reshuffle after Biya’s return

Yaounde, Cameroon – Every weekday astatine 5pm, Elvis Mbi tunes successful to the authorities broadcaster’s flagship vigor bulletin, hoping to perceive an announcement from President Paul Biya that could awesome a alteration successful Cameroon’s governmental leadership.

Biya, 93, returned to Cameroon connected August 20 aft spending astir 10 weeks abroad. His prolonged lack fuelled speculation astir his wellness and whereabouts, including unverified claims that helium had died.

His instrumentality raised expectations of a authorities reshuffle, but nary caller authorities had been appointed by October 6. The vice presidency, restored done a law amendment successful April, besides remained vacant.

“Every Cameroonian was expecting that upon his instrumentality home, helium was going to alteration government, but thing up to this moment,” 39-year-old Mbi told Al Jazeera.

In his December 31, 2025, code to the nation, Biya promised that a caller authorities would beryllium formed “in the coming days”. More than 9 months later, the promised alteration had yet to materialise.

Succession fears grow

The vacant vice presidency has drawn peculiar attraction since politicians approved a law amendment successful April restoring the presumption abolished successful 1972.

Under Law No. 2026/002, promulgated connected April 14, the president whitethorn name and disregard a vice president.

The amendment provides for the vice president to presume the presidency connected an interim ground if the bureau becomes vacant due to the fact that of the president’s death, resignation oregon imperishable incapacity.

The vice president serves the remainder of the seven-year statesmanlike word nether the conditions acceptable retired successful the Constitution.

A roundabout successful downtown Yaounde reflects Cameroon’s nationalist individuality and the government’s promotion of bilingualism arsenic a means of uniting the state amid ongoing conflict. [File: Amindeh Blaise Atabong/Al Jazeera]

The betterment establishes a ceremonial succession mechanics portion leaving the assignment of the vice president to Biya. The amendment does not acceptable a deadline for filling the post.

“We each cognize the president needs assistance successful bid to execute authorities duties and that’s wherefore we are anxiously waiting for the appointment, but thing has happened yet to our top dismay,” Mbi said.

A disputed statesmanlike decree purporting to name a vice president has added to the speculation.

In June, an idiosyncratic delivered a sealed envelope to Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) successful Yaounde containing a purported statesmanlike decree appointing a vice president.

The papers appeared to carnivore the authoritative seals of the presidency and a signature attributed to Biya, according to a authorities connection published by authorities paper Cameroon Tribune connected July 1.

CRTV did not broadcast what the papers said. The authorities said the decree had not been issued done the due authoritative process and confirmed that the idiosyncratic had been detained and an probe was nether way.

For Jude Mutah, a Washington-based governance and ideology adept and manager of subordinate relations astatine the Corporate Council connected Africa, the attraction paid to the authorities broadcaster’s evening bulletin reflects nationalist expectations of governmental change.

In the lack of wide information, rumours tin summation traction, helium said.

Cabral Libii, person of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation and an absorption fig successful the 2025 statesmanlike election, has argued that appointing a vice president would substance beyond filling a vacant post.

“The vice presidency is not conscionable different administrative station to beryllium filled. Appointing your vice president means securing your leadership,” Libii said successful a nationalist appeal.

“A vice president of this calibre could assistance to mitigate the succession struggles that are presently paralysing corporate action,” helium added.

Economic uncertainty

The enactment questions are unfolding arsenic Cameroon faces different challenges, including a separatist struggle successful its English-speaking regions and an equipped rebellion linked to Boko Haram astir the Lake Chad Basin.

Jason Healy, a sub-Saharan Africa state hazard expert astatine BMI, portion of Fitch Solutions, said uncertainty implicit governmental enactment could measurement connected capitalist confidence.

CRTV Radio’s nationalist presumption successful Yaounde, wherever the 5–6pm quality bulletin has drawn attraction since President Paul Biya returned from his 10-week “brief backstage stay” successful Europe. [File: Amindeh Blaise Atabong/Al Jazeera]

Healy warned that prolonged uncertainty could discourage immoderate investors from committing to large, semipermanent projects. He besides suggested that delaying appointments could beryllium a governmental calculation by Biya, allowing him to clasp power implicit the timing and creation of immoderate changes.

Mbi Aziseh Azimboh, enforcement manager of the Policy Lab for Civic Innovation and Community Solutions (POLITICOS), said prolonged uncertainty could dilatory authorities decision-making and hold reforms and nationalist policies.

Government defends president’s prerogative

The authorities has defended Biya’s authorization to determine erstwhile to marque appointments.

In an interrogation with RFI successful August, Communication Minister and authorities spokesperson Rene Emmanuel Sadi said the president had the authorization to signifier a caller authorities and find erstwhile to bash so.

“It is surely rather mean for him to instrumentality his clip erstwhile entrusting specified a precocious bureau to 1 of his chap citizens,” Sadi said.

Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, a erstwhile curate and coordinator of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement’s academy, said citizens’ concerns were morganatic but maintained that the president had the law prerogative to enactment erstwhile helium chose.

The presidency did not respond to an Al Jazeera petition for comment.

For Mbi, his radio-listening ritual continues.

“No 1 knows thing immoderate more. It is truthful disheartening erstwhile I tune successful each clip but don’t get the large news,” helium told Al Jazeera.