Cameroon is celebrating an extraordinary anniversary. This Friday marks 44 years since Paul Biya took office as head of state on November 6, 1982. This year, the date also coincides with the first anniversary of his swearing-in for an eighth term, under the slogan “Greatness and Hope”. At 93, the president is among the longest-serving leaders in the world.
It all began with an unexpected succession. In November 1982, Ahmadou Ahidjo, president for twenty-two years, resigned and handed power to his prime minister. Paul Biya then presented himself as the man of the “Renouveau”, or New Deal, promising “rigour and moralisation” in public life. He survived a coup attempt in 1984, then weathered the return to multiparty politics in the 1990s and a series of elections from which he always emerged victorious.
Within the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), the ruling party, the mood is festive. Celebrations are being held across the country, and posters juxtaposing the young president of 1982 with today’s leader are widely shared. The party says it wants to tie the anniversary to the commitments of the new term, presented as focused on young people and women. Its supporters highlight the peace and stability of a country surrounded by neighbours in crisis.
Critics, however, are making themselves heard. In an open letter, Mila Assoute, a traditional chief in exile and former leader of the “Modernists” faction within the CPDM, warns against a dynastic or oligarchic capture of power and urges the president to prepare a transition that preserves peace and institutions. He also points to basic needs that remain poorly met, such as access to clean water and electricity. Human rights defender Agbor Balla, for his part, calls for reflection on governance, stronger institutions and greater citizen participation. Several analyses in the Cameroonian press argue that the 1982 promises of moralisation now clash with persistent corruption and rising public debt.
The political climate remains tense even within the presidential camp. Academic Chuo Walters goes as far as accusing some CPDM heavyweights, including government members, of not genuinely supporting the head of state. These tensions feed a debate that resurfaces with every anniversary, but with growing urgency: succession. Paul Biya has never publicly named an heir, and the question of what comes after the Renouveau, long a taboo, is now at the heart of Cameroonian politics.