Cameroon’s 91-year-old President Paul Biya returned home on Monday after being away for 42 days, which raised many questions about his health, according to Reuters.
The president arrived in the capital, Yaoundé, along with his wife, Chantal Biya, on a plane from Geneva.
Reuters mentioned that Biya was greeted at the airport by his secretary general, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, before getting into his car.
Although Biya didn’t speak publicly, he waved at supporters through his car window as his motorcade left the airport.
His long absence led to a lot of speculation about his health, prompting the government to reassure the public that he was fine.
Reuters also reported that the government even made it illegal to talk about Biya’s health, saying it was a national security issue.
Thousands of supporters from the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) lined the streets to see Biya and wore clothes with his image on them.
Reuters added that some people came just to confirm for themselves that the president was still alive.
Along the way, supporters carried banners, with one saying, “Long life to His Excellency Paul Biya, father of the nation,” as reported by Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/cameroons-91-year-old-president-biya-returns-home-2024-10-21