Paul Biya has spent long periods outside Cameroon, particularly in Switzerland, which has been the subject of sustained public debate and criticism. His extended stays abroad have led critics to argue that he governs from a distance and is detached from the day-to-day realities faced by many Cameroonians.
However, there is no credible evidence that:
- Paul Biya is a Swiss national. He is publicly recognized as a Cameroonian citizen.
- Cameroon (or the former French-administered territory often referred to as “La République du Cameroun” by some critics) is his personal or “feudal estate.”
- Cameroonians are literally his “slaves.”
The language in your question reflects a sharp political critique. It conveys the view that:
- The presidency has become highly personalized;
- Power has been concentrated around one individual and his network;
- The president is perceived by opponents as being absent while maintaining control over the state.
Supporters of Biya, by contrast, argue that his travels are official or private and that the government continues to function through state institutions and appointed officials.
Whether one believes that Cameroon under Biya resembles a highly centralised, personalised system of governance is a legitimate subject of political debate. But describing him as “simply a Swiss national” or Cameroon as his personal estate is not supported by the facts.
“ONLY IN SWITZERLAND CAN BIYA WORK WITH A COLD HEAD”. This is the ridiculous song being sung by CPDM pundits on TV platforms. What then is wrong with the country Biya has laboured so hard for 44 years to build? So LRC is a can full of worms, and Biya cannot work with all serenity in this can of worms. He is obliged to jet to Switzerland to find peace of mind to constitute his cabinet and appoint a vice president. There are presidential palaces splashed all over the national territory, and none can provide a convenient environment for Mr Biya to work. LRC after Biya,s 44 years of hard work has become so toxic that even in his extraterrestrial palace in Mvomeka, “rats and pests” have been so invasive as to render it inappropriate for work. These are badly scripted lies. Biya is simply a Swiss national who visits LRC, his feudal estate from time to time, to ensure his slaves are cultivating his farms …
