FILE - Cameroon's President Paul Biya, of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement party, Oct. 7, 2018, in Yaounde, Cameroon. -

Last updated: 1 hour ago

Cameroon

The world’s oldest leader, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, has appointed his son Franck to the vice presidency.

The post was only reintroduced on Saturday after being scrapped in 1972 following a constitutional referendum.

The widely criticised bill was passed by a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate and boycotted by the main opposition party.

The amendment gives the president absolute authority over the vice presidency, and he can appoint and dismiss office holders at will. The deputy can only exercise powers delegated by Biya.

If the president dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated, the vice president will serve as interim president for the remainder of the seven-year tenure.

Proponents of the bill say it will ensure institutional stability should the 93-year-old president be unable to carry out his duties. But critics say it undermines democratic principles and paves the way for a monarchy.

The opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) said in a statement that the amendment “fails to guarantee democratic legitimacy, inclusiveness, and proper institutional balance.”

“It’s not democratic. This is a republic, and in a republic, those who wield power at the highest level of the state should be elected and not appointed,” Fusi Namukong, an SDF member of parliament, said.

The Cameroon Bar Association also warned the amendment “erodes the democratic legitimacy (of) the presidential office” and undermines the country’s constitution.

As well as taking up the vice presidency, Franck Biya has also been named Head of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence, according to local media reports.

Paul Biya’s health has been a topic of speculation as he spends most of his time in Europe, leaving governance to key party officials and family members.

His reelection to an eighth term in 2025 sparked widespread protests that left at least four people dead, signaling growing tensions between the mostly young population and its aging leader.

Cameroon President Biya Appoints Son as Vice President

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