The sirens that ushered the presidential couple at the May 20 Boulevard in Yaoundé, dispelled rumours that he was terribly sick and isn’t fit to run the country again.

The 86-year-old President, stood up for almost an hour to salute soldiers during the military parade and was able to resist the March past that lasted for two hours thirty minutes. He was actively present at the National Gala organised at the Unity Palace, where he met and communed with collaborators and partners of Cameroon.

Many had claimed the President was in Europe, attending to treatment. A recent document delegating powers to the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, to issue and sign Presidential decrees, gained media attention a and criticism in Cameroon, as many assumed the Head of State was probably too sick to talk, hence he is preparing a heir. Others assumed his absence in many international sittings, is caused by his poor health.

Supporters of the President have been on social media rubbishing these accusations to the face of detractors, stating he has another seven years in office.

However, critics paid keen attention to the gala, where they noticed at one point, First Lady Chantal Biya raised President Paul Biya’s hands to wave to compatriots. The scene to some, gives the impression that the Head Of State has lost his memory and Mrs. Chantal Biya was assisting him to respond to salutations.

Paul Biya has been President of Cameroon since 6th November 1982. He has recently come under critique, for responding slowly to the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, the CRM party crisis, amongst others.