Paul Biya, the 92-year-old president of Cameroon and the oldest head of state in the world, has announced his plan to seek reelection. Biya eliminated term limits in 2008, allowing him to run for office indefinitely.
In a post on the President’s official X account on July 13th, he revealed his intention to run for reelection for the eighth time.
“I am a candidate in the presidential election,” it says. “Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face.”
Paul Biya took office more than 40 years ago in 1982 after his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo, resigned. He is currently running for a new term that could keep him in office until he is almost 100 years old.
Since he vanished from the public eye for forty-two days last year, there has been much conjecture about his health. It wasn’t until Sunday’s social media post that his re-election campaign was officially confirmed, despite being widely expected.
Prior to the announcement, Biya had been posting frequently on his verified X handle.
The announcement on Sunday is likely to reignite the controversy surrounding Biya’s suitability for office. He rarely appears in public and frequently assigns duties to the president’s office’s influential chief of staff.
After a 42-day absence that raised rumors that he was ill, he returned to Cameroon last October. Despite claiming he was fine, the government forbade any discussion of his health, citing national security concerns.
Cameroon has experienced numerous instances of insecurity and economic hardship under Biya.
