At midday on August 20, President Paul Biya, accompanied by First Lady Chantal Biya and their delegation, was airborne aboard a private Boeing jet, registered P4-CLA. Their journey commenced in Geneva, with an anticipated late-afternoon landing in Yaoundé.

My sources indicate that activists from the ruling party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), have been mobilized to orchestrate an exceptionally enthusiastic welcome for the head of state.

Cameroonian authorities are unmistakably orchestrating this presidential homecoming as a grand spectacle. A clear illustration of this is the extraordinary deployment by CRTV, the national public media group, which has assigned 200 of its personnel for comprehensive live radio and television coverage. Both the landing of the presidential aircraft and the 22-kilometer motorcade journey from the airport to the palace will be broadcast and analyzed across their extensive network.

Extended absence of over 70 days

This return flight, for which neither the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon nor the government issued any official statement, marks precisely 74 days since the Cameroonian head of state departed the country. This record-breaking absence fueled widespread speculation regarding his condition, particularly his health. Some rumors suggested severe illness and hospitalization following a knee operation, while others indicated routine medical consultations.

The people of Cameroon are keenly anticipating whether their leader utilized this extended period away to advance certain unfulfilled pledges. Among these is the formation of a new government, a promise made eight months ago that has yet to materialize. There is also considerable interest in who will be appointed to the vice-president position, a role established last April.