President Paul Biya of Cameroon returned home on Thursday after spending more than two months abroad, ending what became the longest recorded absence of his 44-year rule.
The 93-year-old leader, who the world’s oldest serving head of state, arrived in the capital, Yaoundé, on a flight from Geneva, Switzerland, where he had been since June 7 on what his office called a “short private stay.”
Biya’s long absence had sparked growing worry about his health and who was really running the country.
Opposition parties and some citizens demanded clearer information, with a few even calling for the presidency to be declared vacant.
The government rejected these claims, insisting the president was alive, had not resigned, and would return soon.
74 days later, President Paul #Biya, 93, has finally returned to #Cameroon from Geneva, Switzerland.
— Kennedy Wandera (@KennedyWandera_) August 20, 2026
This is the longest recorded stay away from home for the world’s oldest president, who has been in power since 1982.
Biya’s chartered flight touched down at Nsimalen… pic.twitter.com/21wBW3EE48
When he landed, Biya did not come down from the plane or hold any press briefing. He was seen only waving to supporters from inside his vehicle as close allies waited at the airport.
Biya has led Cameroon since 1982 and began his eighth term after a disputed election in October 2025.
He spends long periods in Europe, especially France and Switzerland, while key party officials and family members handle much of the day-to-day governance.
Cameroon’s constitution does not ban the president from travelling for months, but the country has no vice president by default, a post Biya can create and fill at will.
In April 2026, parliament brought back the vice president’s office, a move critics called a power grab because Biya can appoint and remove the deputy and decide what powers the role has.
Under the new law, if the president dies, resigns, or becomes unable to serve, the vice president would take over and finish the seven-year term before new elections.
Biya’s long rule has brought mixed results. Armed attacks by Boko Haram in the north and separatist fighting in the west, together with a weak economy, have left many young people frustrated.
More than 70% of Cameroon’s nearly 30 million people are under 35, meaning most citizens have known only Biya as leader. His 2025 re-election triggered protests that left at least 16 people dead, showing deep tension between the aging president and a mostly Cameroon’s young population.