Speculation is swirling that President Paul Biya has suffered a massive stroke and is gravely ill in a private clinic in Geneva, Switzerland. A Belgian brain surgeon recruited by the Biya family is believed to have flown to Geneva to treat the 93-year-old dictator; a well-placed source has hinted Cameroon Intelligence Report.

Africa’s most unpredictable nation is thought to be heading for a succession crisis involving the three pillars of state – the Biya family, the army and the ruling CPDM Party… after a record 53-day absence by the world’s oldest head of state in his native Cameroon.   

There is no sign of Biya, 93, anywhere in Yaoundé and the country’s state media CRTV is silent about his absence.

“There is reason to believe President Paul Biya has suffered a serious health setback, possibly a stroke,” a Cameroonian intelligence official told Cameroon Intelligence Report, speaking on condition of anonymity.  

Another official hinted our Yaoundé City correspondent that reports of Biya’s possible health problems are based in part on intelligence gathered by several people in the know and that rumours had been circulating for months about the state of Biya’s health and his control over the Cameroon government.  

“What we do know is that he has been out of the country for 53 days now,” a CEMAC intelligence official said, speaking on condition of anonymity about the Biya administration’s internal assessment. “53 days is quite unusual and reinforces a lot of what the international community is hearing.”

While Cameroon military officials have been speaking and suing for anonymity, the CPDM government has said little publicly.

Biya’s last public appearance was in May, and rumours about his health began circulating soon after.

A top army brass, General Tchemo who recently questioned the president’s prolonged absence from the country and was sent on retirement has even stated that Biya may have died and that his acolytes may be planning to use body doubles at public events.

Biya, known to Cameroonians as “Mis-Leader in Chief,” took over the reins of Cameroon’s highly centralized Francophone dominated government when the late President Ahmadou Ahidjo resigned.

Biya has so many children from different mothers, but has not publicly named any of them as his successor.

His rumoured health issues come as Cameroon is facing the worst socio-economic crisis it’s seen since the 1990s.

The army and the national gendarmerie are holding secret talks about their shared fear of instability.

By Rita Akana