Cameroon president reshuffles top military commanders after two-month absence
President Paul Biya, who has been out of the public eye for 58 days, issued decrees promoting the head of the Presidential Guard and replacing commanders in four of the five joint military regions.
Cameroon’s 93-year-old President Paul Biya returned to official duties by signing three decrees that overhaul senior military leadership. The head of the Presidential Guard was promoted from colonel to brigadier general, and commanders in four of the nation’s five joint military regions were replaced. Additional moves saw a new commander appointed to the Rapid Intervention Brigade and Major General Ebaka Hippolyte advanced within the Armed Forces General Staff, alongside several colonels receiving brigadier-general ranks.
The reshuffle was announced on national radio on Monday; government spokesperson Rene Emmanuel Sadi did not respond to media inquiries, though he previously told one outlet that the president was alive and would soon come back. The ruling party convened a rare senior-leader meeting last month amid growing criticism of Biya’s prolonged absence.
Why it matters
The reshuffle signals potential shifts in Cameroon’s security strategy while the president’s extended overseas stay fuels speculation about his health and governance.
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