Cameroon’s fragile stability under threat without Biya

Filmmaker Jean-Pierre Bekolo has sounded the alarm in a recent opinion piece, warning that Cameroon is already experiencing the early stages of chaos that would follow President Paul Biya’s departure. He describes a nation where “permanent contestation is becoming the norm, playing out through media outlets, social platforms, and behind-the-scenes power struggles. The competing factions that now jockey for position will soon take their rivalry to the next level.”

Symbolic authority in question

Bekolo argues that even in his advanced age and declining health, Paul Biya maintains a symbolic authority that none of his associates possess. Every day brings new examples of officials in high-ranking positions who command neither respect nor confidence from the Cameroonian people.

Public trust has eroded significantly as citizens question the role of presidential families and inner circles in managing state resources and wealth. The perception grows that these networks operate above the Republic itself, effectively wielding more power than the country’s institutions. Each revelation—whether about mineral wealth, constitutional decisions, or ministerial incompetence—reinforces one conclusion: a Cameroon without Biya would descend into chaos.

Institutional credibility crumbling

The filmmaker highlights several alarming developments: a mining minister’s controversial statements about state gold reserves, a constitutional council accused of validating political falsehoods, and ministries that appear powerless to address citizens’ daily struggles. He also points to the prolonged tenures of certain corporate leaders and the controversy surrounding the vice-presidential position created through a constitutional amendment by expired parliamentary mandates.

Individually, these issues can be debated. Collectively, they tell a single story: without Paul Biya, no figure or institution in Cameroon commands genuine respect. The rivalries currently contained within media and social platforms will escalate into open confrontation. Those who believe they can inherit the system through decree or arrangement will discover too late the explosive legacy of a Cameroon without Biya.

Inevitable chaos ahead

Bekolo paints a stark picture of Cameroon’s future: “The country has entered a period of permanent contestation that currently manifests through media, social networks, and influence peddling. The factions now battling behind the scenes will soon move to more dangerous arenas. We cannot rule out violent confrontations, including assassinations.”

The country’s paralyzed institutions will prove incapable of maintaining order. Internal dissent within these institutions will grow, further destabilizing an already fragile system. Public finances and funding mechanisms will suffer, triggering a severe crisis where every decision, appointment, and succession will be challenged.

This chaos stems not from opposition forces or foreign interference, but from the exhaustion of a system that cannot function without Paul Biya. The recent seven-year mandate granted to a 93-year-old president has only accelerated these worrying trends.

A call for responsible transition

In response to this impending crisis, Bekolo proposes a radical solution: those who have served long enough must step aside—not under duress, but out of historical responsibility. Their final service to Cameroon should not be clinging to power, but organizing a transition through a provisional government with a limited mandate.

This transition government would be tasked with rebuilding institutions, restoring public trust, establishing new rules, and ensuring credible elections. This represents the only reasonable, peaceful path to avoid collapse. All other maneuvers, secret meetings, and shadowy strategies to prolong an outdated system only deepen the danger.

Those who pursue such paths will bear full responsibility before history, as their actions can only lead to one outcome: the chaos we all seek to avoid.