During a recent television appearance, governance specialist Benjamin Ngongang questioned the prolonged absence of President Paul Biya from Cameroun, highlighting the president’s 49-day stay abroad.

The private trip of Cameroun’s head of state in Europe became the focal point of the Canal Presse program on July 26, 2026. Speaking on the show, Ngongang argued that the president’s extended stays abroad undermine effective governance and fail to address pressing national issues.

«No leader is elected to govern from abroad. It’s not just the opposition that should be concerned—even members of the ruling party should be alarmed that the president has spent 49 days outside the country. He left on June 7, and as of today, he’s still away. If he doesn’t return by tonight, he’ll break his previous record for the longest absence from Cameroun», Ngongang stated emphatically.

He added, «No nation on Earth allows its leader to be absent for more than 30 days, whether for personal or official reasons. Cameroun is setting an unfortunate precedent here».

Ngongang continued, «Even world leaders facing critical challenges, like the U.S. president or Iran’s Assembly speaker during wartime, don’t vanish for nearly two months. They handle crises by leading from the front, not from a distance».