Camer360

With less than two months to Cameroon’s presidential vote, a simple question from tech entrepreneur Rebecca Enonchong has cut through the noise: “Where is President Paul Biya?” Posted on X (formerly Twitter), her prompt has amplified growing public curiosity about the head of state’s prolonged absence from view during what is typically a hyper-visible period for incumbents.

The president’s most recent widely noted appearance was an audience with the Apostolic Nuncio. Since then, the silence from official channels has fed speculation and placed the government’s communication strategy under scrutiny. In normal pre-election cycles, the incumbent’s public programme—speeches, meetings, policy messaging—sets the tone. This year, the vacuum itself has become a storyline.

Analysts say the episode highlights three issues. First, governance: extended absences without clear updates invite rumour and reduce trust. Second, continuity: voters want reassurance about who is making decisions and how; the law provides for delegation, but clarity matters. Third, stability: in a charged campaign season, uncertainty can crowd out policy discussion and turn the race into a referendum on opacity.

Enonchong’s post doesn’t assert a claim; it asks for information. That is the point. Transparent, timely briefings—even brief medical or scheduling notes—are a minimum in modern democracies and would help refocus debate on platforms, not personalities. The presidency’s next move will determine whether this remains a social-media moment or becomes a defining frame for the final stretch of the campaign, including the CPDM candidate’s message discipline and opponents’ ability to keep the focus on policy.