The ruling party in Cameroun has dismissed allegations surrounding the President’s prolonged absence from the country, labeling such claims as juridical and political absurdity. Jacques Fame Ndongo, Minister of State, emphasized that no legal or constitutional provision in Cameroun stipulates a maximum duration for a head of state’s absence abroad.

He argued that attempting to apply a non-existent constitutional rule to President Paul Biya would be akin to navigating a legal quagmire, describing the notion as the product of creative and unfounded imagination.

Fame Ndongo further asserted that the President, who has led Cameroun since 1982, remains actively engaged in governance. He stated that Paul Biya meticulously reviews files submitted by his team, whether in person or through electronic means.

Opposition dismisses claims as ‘de facto exile’

The Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroun (MRC), led by opposition figure Maurice Kamto, swiftly responded to the ruling party’s statement. Mamadou Mota, the party’s vice-president, questioned the threshold at which a president’s physical presence becomes essential for governance. He argued that 45 days outside national territory constitute de facto exile rather than a temporary stay.

The MRC also lampooned the idea of Cameroun being governed remotely, suggesting the country had become ‘the first in the world to operate under clandestine telecommuting’, with the President allegedly overseeing state affairs electronically.