In a shared column, Saint-Eloi Bidoung, a former activist of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, opens Pandora’s box against the President of the Republic. According to him, Paul Biya no longer sees, no longer hears, no longer says anything. He wonders who speaks in his name. Here is the full text of the column.
“Paul Biya, a blind, deaf, mute president.
There are things a President of the Republic does and others he does not do. This is the case with Paul Biya, our monarch who has been silent for nearly five years.
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Who, then, speaks in the name of the president?
A President of the Republic does not announce. A President of the Republic decrees with full authority, when he finds it appropriate or necessary. In the memory of millions of Cameroonian citizens, since his arrival in power, Paul Biya has never announced the formation of a Government “in the coming days.” This does not belong to his discourse, much less to his practice, to announce in advance what he will certainly or soon do. This is even truer regarding ministerial reshuffles. The only times he never surprised us with a government reshuffle were at 9:30 AM on a Christmas Day, at 10:00 AM on an Easter Day, or at 5:00 AM on an ordinary and calm day.
Ministerial reshuffles, we have had them (without prior announcements) from Monday to Sunday; at different times of the day. And they have always been surprises, although very often preceded by wild rumors. That is why I sympathize with those who do not believe in a connection between Paul Biya and his address to the Nation on December 31, 2025. He is a total stranger to it.
A president does not look…
A president does not look, he sees. And when he has seen, he takes measures to rectify what is contrary, or to preserve what is within the norms. What the present generation and posterity will reproach Paul Biya for is having spent time looking. Looking without seeing. Looking at directors of state-owned companies remaining in their positions for decades after legal limits; some 20 years, others 30 years or even 40 years. Looking at general managers of state-owned companies embezzling colossal public funds for years with ease and impunity. Looking at members of the Government spending more than 20 years in the same position and participating in inter-ministerial tournaments of embezzlement of funds intended for the realization of projects of national scope. Looking at the unemployment rate of young graduates climb every year. Looking at unnatural morals stifle society. Looking at the proliferation of satanic churches, the emergence of “God Business,” the scandalous and open enrichment of “religious entrepreneurs.”
A leader does not look, he sees and speaks wisdom. Paul Biya looks, but sees nothing. He does not even see the police racketeering in enrollment centers for obtaining the new national identity card, which disillusioned applicants have nicknamed “Paul Biya NIC.” And there are many things he looks at without seeing. And it is not because of his great age. His collaborators have hung before him a transparent but blurry veil; which prevents him from clearly distinguishing, from clearly seeing what he looks at.
A President of the Republic does not give, he redistributes.
Paul Biya has done nothing but give, he only gives to a small portion of his fellow citizens. He does not redistribute, and this results in more poor, destitute people, and people in social difficulties in this country; yet so rich for everyone.
We would not be here if he had better distributed the number of embezzlers of public funds by Region. At this moment, the Center Region is the best off regarding the beneficiaries of “4.9,” fictitious contracts in Ministries, and overbilled payments in the public treasury coffers. The Center Region is followed in this comfort by the South Region; but keeps the first place for victims of Operation Sparrowhawk already convicted and those in the process of being summoned.
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The rest of the public funds are given to members of Paul Biya’s entourage, and it is at this scale that he makes a good distribution. Yet, wisdom repeats that a leader does not give, he redistributes to all his subjects.
A President of the Republic does not talk…
A President of the Republic does not talk, he says. We are not talking about speeches or interviews with the press. To say, to be a President of the Republic, is to make decisions on the facts of the Republic; it is also to take sanctions with full severity. It is true that Paul Biya is less and less loquace (he is inaudible according to Issa Tchiroma). But, when he needed to talk, to say something; unfortunately, he remained silent like a rock. He said nothing about the funds for the response against Covid-19; even less about the funds for the construction of the AFCON stadiums. While the entire Republic was talking about these massive and collective embezzlements carried out by ministers and their accomplices, Paul Biya neither spoke nor said a word.
Yes, he speaks little and rarely these days. We only wished he would say a word about the embezzlement of funds for the Africa Cup of Nations football in Cameroon. He said nothing.
A President of the Republic does not listen, he hears
If he listened, he would only have those who want advantages and privileges from him. He must hear the cries and gnashing of teeth coming from his people bound in the hell of poverty and daily miseries. Paul Biya likes to listen to his courtiers who, moreover, mostly deceive him. He does not hear the cries of the people. He no longer hears the cries of pain from Teachers, Nurses, young graduates who have become “Moto-Taxi drivers,” “the laid-off.” Paul Biya listens to his creatures and his creators.
Mr. President, Saint-Eloi Bidoung will not stop telling you the truth, nothing but the truth, whether it pleases you or not. I will do nothing to make you lose your position as president, but I will not defend it if your creatures organize to make you lose it. When a President no longer sees, no longer hears, no longer speaks, wisdom recommends that he step down. Above all, do not wait for it to be torn from you. To the wise… goodbye.”
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