Supporters of Cameroon’s long-serving President, Paul Biya, have turned his portrait into the central symbol of his re-election campaign ahead of the October 2025 presidential polls. At 92, Biya’s advanced age and frequent private trips abroad have kept him largely out of the public eye, making his image stand in for him on the campaign trail.
This unusual approach has sparked renewed speculation about his health and prompted comparisons to fictional leaders who cling to power despite being absent from public life. Biya remains the world’s oldest sitting head of state and Africa’s second-longest-serving ruler.
His health has long been a delicate topic, often whispered about whenever he vanishes for extended periods, typically to Geneva, Switzerland. However, such discussions are tightly censored within Cameroon. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), which maintains control over state media, has prohibited open debate on the president’s health, framing it as a national security issue.
In his absence, campaigning is being orchestrated by his inner circle through social media and official statements, with loyalists determined to secure another term. Analysts see this as a way to prevent an internal power struggle within the ruling elite, as Biya has never named a clear successor. The lack of generational transition has left many Cameroonians—especially the youth—feeling politically excluded.
Opposition voices argue that Biya’s age and prolonged absences have stalled the country’s progress and undermined democratic governance. His decision to run again has already created fractures within his once-solid base, with some former allies and ministers announcing independent bids.
Adding further intrigue, Biya’s daughter, Brenda, reportedly used social media to urge citizens not to re-elect her father, directly challenging his decades-long hold on power.
The heavy reliance on his portraits, rather than his personal presence, has reinforced the image of Biya as an “absentee president.” It highlights not only his physical withdrawal from the public sphere but also the tightly managed political system that has enabled him to remain in office for over four decades.
