In a sharply worded opinion piece released on June 26, 2026, political activist Joe La Conscience directly challenges President Paul Biya. He paints a picture of 43 years of chaotic governance, declining public freedoms, and a plan for a dynastic transfer of power. While accusing Biya of arranging a family succession is one thing, coining the term “dynastocracy” brings a fresh twist to the debate.
43 years in power and a fragmented legacy
Joe La Conscience begins with the foundations. According to him, Paul Biya’s rise to power in 1982 was a historic mistake by his predecessor Ahmadou Ahidjo. What was meant to be a transitional mandate, in his view, turned into a personal reign lasting more than four decades.
The opinion piece sketches a grim economic picture, governance described as tribal, and a steady erosion of public liberties. These are weighty accusations, presented without official sources, something worth noting. They represent the author’s interpretations, not findings from an investigative report. But the tone is that of a indictment.
The vice-presidency and the specter of family succession
Here the piece takes a sharper and more controversial angle. Joe La Conscience points to recent constitutional reforms, particularly the introduction of the vice-president role, as a possible mechanism for a succession orchestrated from the top. He coins the term “dynastocracy” to describe what he sees as a deliberate attempt to pass power within the presidential family circle.
He also mentions alleged rivalries among figures in the presidential entourage and succession scenarios. None of these elements are backed by official confirmation, and the author himself presents them as hypotheses. Yet they are revealing of a growing debate, even in circles not associated with radical opposition.
The question of the president’s health, uncertainties about the post-Biya era, and tensions around a potential transition: Joe La Conscience does not invent them. He puts them into words, with his own conclusions.
This is a turn the Cameroonian political debate is taking, whether institutions acknowledge it or not.
