By Oluwabukunmi
Yaoundé/Geneva, September 28, 2025 — As Cameroon’s presidential election campaign kicked off on Saturday, questions swirled around the absence of the country’s 92-year-old president, Paul Biya, who is seeking an unprecedented eighth term in office.
Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, left Yaoundé last Sunday for what the presidency described as a “private trip to Europe.” Diplomatic sources confirmed he is currently in Geneva, Switzerland — his long-favoured destination — where protesters have gathered outside the United Nations headquarters to denounce his extended absences and costly foreign stays.
The president, in power since 1982, is rarely seen in public. He missed a scheduled appearance at the UN General Assembly in New York last Thursday, delegating Foreign Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella instead. A video released by the presidency before his departure, however, showed Biya in apparently good health, accompanied by First Lady Chantal Biya and senior advisers.
Daughter’s Shock Intervention
The trip came just days after Biya’s daughter, Brenda Biya, posted a viral TikTok video urging Cameroonians not to vote for her father — a message she later deleted and apologised for, saying she “knew nothing about politics.” The incident added to growing scrutiny of Biya’s re-election bid and his family’s controversial lifestyle abroad.
Brenda, a regular at Geneva’s luxury InterContinental Hotel, has previously faced legal issues, including a conviction for defamation against a Cameroonian-Nigerian artist. Reports have also linked the Biya family to extensive stays in Switzerland, with a 2018 investigation estimating that the president had spent 4.5 years abroad during his tenure, at a cost of about $65 million.
Opposition in Disarray
Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC) is expected to hold campaign rallies, including one planned in the northern city of Maroua. However, it remains unclear whether the president will make personal appearances.
Analysts say Biya’s prolonged absences may be a deliberate strategy.
“The more he stays out of the public eye, the more he maintains the illusion that he is mentally and physically suited for office,” said David Kiwuwa, head of the School of International Studies at the University of Nottingham’s China campus.
Meanwhile, the opposition has struggled to unite. Biya’s main rival in 2018, Maurice Kamto, confirmed on Friday that opposition parties had failed to agree on a consensus candidate.
“Many Cameroonians are frustrated that the opposition, after nearly 30 years of trying, is still unable to replace President Biya,” noted Arrey Elvis Ntui, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
Protests in Switzerland
On Friday, Cameroonian diaspora groups rallied in Geneva, chanting “Biya murderer” under heavy rain. Organisers accused the president of wasting public funds abroad while nearly a quarter of Cameroonians live below the poverty line.
“We want to chase Paul Biya out of Europe,” said Diosky Moresmo, a protest leader from Belgium. “He spends the people’s money while Cameroonians have no water, no electricity, and no hospitals.”
Some demonstrators, including participants from Germany, expressed fears that Biya’s re-election was already “stitched up,” given the divided opposition and his party’s entrenched dominance.
Election Outlook
Despite age, criticism, and controversy, Biya remains the front-runner in the October 12 presidential poll, where he will face 11 other candidates. Many observers believe that with the opposition fragmented, Biya could secure another seven-year term — effectively re-elected by default.
