Biya has had his era; Cameroon must now be allowed to enter its next one ⁰

Cameroon has reached a moment when political loyalty must give way to a more fundamental question: how much longer can the country be governed under a system that appears increasingly unable to meet the demands of the present?

President Paul Biya has served Cameroon for more than four decades. His longevity in office is extraordinary, but longevity should never become an argument for indefinite political stagnation. A country of young people, ambitious citizens and enormous potential cannot remain trapped in a political era that seems increasingly disconnected from the realities of a new generation.

Recent public appearances by the president have raised serious questions about his ability to carry the enormous physical and political burden of the presidency. Images of him requiring assistance at public events, reports and footage that appear to show him struggling during international engagements and the increasingly limited public presentation of his day-to-day activities have intensified concerns about the future of Cameroon’s leadership.

These observations should not be turned into cruelty or ridicule. Age and physical frailty are human realities and Biya deserves dignity. But respecting the dignity of an elderly head of state does not mean refusing to ask legitimate questions about the capacity of the presidency and the future of the nation.

Cameroon is not a Biya family possession, nor should the presidency become an institution organized around one individual indefinitely. The country belongs to its citizens, including the millions of young Cameroonians who have never known another president.

The current difficulty in forming or reshaping a government only adds to the sense of political inertia. At a time when Cameroon needs decisive action on unemployment, insecurity, corruption, infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic opportunity, the country cannot afford prolonged uncertainty at the very top. There comes a time when leadership means knowing when to make way.

President Biya should therefore consider a dignified transition of power and hand the responsibility of governing Cameroon to a new generation. Such a transition would not erase his place in the country’s history. On the contrary, voluntarily creating space for renewal could become one of the most consequential decisions of his political career.

Cameroon needs fresh ideas, new energy and leaders who understand the aspirations of a generation shaped by a very different world from the one in which Mr. Biya began his political journey.

This is not a call for humiliation. It is not a call for chaos. And it is certainly not a call to deny the president his dignity. It is a call for renewal.

Enough of a political system in which the future of an entire nation appears tied to the health, age and continued presence of one man. Enough of waiting for change to happen by accident. Cameroon deserves a deliberate, constitutional and peaceful generational transition. President Biya has had his era. Cameroon must now be allowed to enter its next one.

The time has come to hand over the baton.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai