Every weekday at 5pm, Elvis Mbi tunes in to the state broadcaster’s flagship radio bulletin, hoping to hear an announcement from President Paul Biya that could signal a change in Cameroon’s political leadership.
uncertain
that → tune → leadership
Biya, 93, returned to Cameroon on August 20 after spending about 10 weeks abroad.
asserted
Biya → return → weeks
His prolonged absence fuelled speculation about his health and whereabouts, including unverified claims that he had died.
uncertain
he → fuel → claims
His return raised expectations of a government reshuffle, but no new government had been appointed by October 6.
asserted
government → raise → October
The vice presidency, restored through a constitutional amendment in April, also remained vacant.
asserted
presidency → restore → April
“Every Cameroonian was expecting that upon his return home, he was going to change government, but nothing up to this moment,” 39-year-old Mbi told Al Jazeera.
asserted
Mbi → expect → Jazeera
In his December 31, 2025, address to the nation, Biya promised that a new government would be formed “in the coming days”.
asserted
government → promise → days
More than nine months later, the promised change had yet to materialise.
asserted
change → promise → ?
Succession fears grow
The vacant vice presidency has drawn particular attention since politicians approved a constitutional amendment in April restoring the position abolished in 1972.
asserted
politicians → grow → 1972
Under Law No. 2026/002, promulgated on April 14, the president may appoint and dismiss a vice president.
uncertain
president → promulgate → president
The amendment provides for the vice president to assume the presidency on an interim basis if the office becomes vacant because of the president’s death, resignation or permanent incapacity.
asserted
office → provide → death
The vice president serves the remainder of the seven-year presidential term under the conditions set out in the Constitution.
asserted
president → serve → Constitution
The reform establishes a formal succession mechanism while leaving the appointment of the vice president to Biya.
asserted
reform → establish → Biya
The amendment does not set a deadline for filling the post.
asserted
amendment → set → post
“We all know the president needs assistance in order to execute state duties and that’s why we are anxiously waiting for the appointment, but nothing has happened yet to our greatest dismay,” Mbi said.
asserted
Mbi → know → dismay
A disputed presidential decree purporting to appoint a vice president has added to the speculation.
In June, an individual delivered a sealed envelope to Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) in Yaounde containing a purported presidential decree appointing a vice president.
asserted
individual → dispute → president
The document appeared to bear the official seals of the presidency and a signature attributed to Biya, according to a government statement published by state newspaper Cameroon Tribune on July 1.
uncertain
document → appear → July
CRTV did not broadcast what the document said.
asserted
document → broadcast → what
The government said the decree had not been issued through the proper official process and confirmed that the individual had been detained and an investigation was under way.
asserted
investigation → say → way
For Jude Mutah, a Washington-based governance and democracy expert and director of member relations at the Corporate Council on Africa, the attention paid to the state broadcaster’s evening bulletin reflects public expectations of political change.
asserted
attention → base → change
In the absence of clear information, rumours can gain traction, he said.
asserted
he → gain → traction
Cabral Libii, leader of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation and an opposition figure in the 2025 presidential election, has argued that appointing a vice president would matter beyond filling a vacant post.
asserted
appointing → argue → post
“The vice presidency is not just another administrative post to be filled.
asserted
presidency → fill → ?
Appointing your vice president means securing your leadership,” Libii said in a public appeal.
asserted
Libii → appoint → appeal
“A vice president of this calibre could help to mitigate the succession struggles that are currently paralysing collective action,” he added.
uncertain
he → help → action
Economic uncertainty
The leadership questions are unfolding as Cameroon faces other challenges, including a separatist conflict in its English-speaking regions and an armed rebellion linked to Boko Haram around the Lake Chad Basin.
asserted
Cameroon → unfold → Basin
Jason Healy, a sub-Saharan Africa country risk analyst at BMI, part of Fitch Solutions, said uncertainty over political leadership could weigh on investor confidence.
uncertain
uncertainty → say → confidence
Healy warned that prolonged uncertainty could discourage some investors from committing to large, long-term projects.
uncertain
uncertainty → warn → projects
He also suggested that delaying appointments could be a political calculation by Biya, allowing him to retain control over the timing and composition of any changes.
uncertain
him → suggest → changes
Mbi Aziseh Azimboh, executive director of the Policy Lab for Civic Innovation and Community Solutions (POLITICOS), said prolonged uncertainty could slow government decision-making and delay reforms and public policies.
uncertain
uncertainty → say → reforms
Government defends president’s prerogative
The government has defended Biya’s authority to decide when to make appointments.
asserted
government → defend → appointments
In an interview with RFI in August, Communication Minister and government spokesperson Rene Emmanuel Sadi said the president had the authority to form a new government and determine when to do so.
asserted
president → say → government
“It is surely quite normal for him to take his time when entrusting such a high office to one of his fellow citizens,” Sadi said.
asserted
Sadi → take → citizens
Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, a former minister and coordinator of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement’s academy, said citizens’ concerns were legitimate but maintained that the president had the constitutional prerogative to act when he chose.
asserted
he → rule → prerogative
The presidency did not respond to an Al Jazeera request for comment.
asserted
presidency → respond → comment
For Mbi, his radio-listening ritual continues.
asserted
ritual → continue → Mbi
“No one knows anything any more.
asserted
one → know → anything
It is so disheartening when I tune in each time but don’t get the big news,” he told Al Jazeera.
asserted
he → tune → Jazeera
The Aporia
