Cameroon’s federal government has actually prohibited the media from going over the wellness of President Paul Biya, Africa’s second-longest-ruling leader, amidst rumours the 91-year-old is seriously ill, according to a file gotten by AFP.
Biya, the globe’s earliest leader, has actually not made a public look because very early September, sustaining a swirl of rumours online that the experienced head of state’s wellness is falling short.
“The head of state is the principal institution of the republic, and discussions on his condition are a matter of national security,” claimed the record dealt with to local guvs, which was dated October 9 and authorized by Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji.
“All discussion in the media on the president’s condition is therefore officially banned.”
The record, which birthed a red stamp analysis “highly urgent”, included that anybody breaking the order would certainly “face the full force of the law”.
It bought local guvs to develop “monitoring cells” billed with monitoring material secretive media, consisting of social media networks.
Biya has actually been Cameroon’s head of state for greater than 41 years, 2nd in Africa just to 82-year-old Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, that has actually held power in Equatorial Guinea for 45 years.
Biya’s last public look went to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing last month.
He did not participate in the succeeding United Nations General Assembly opening in New York or a top of French- talking nations in Paris.
The head of state’s workplace provided a declaration Tuesday claiming Biya remained in “excellent health”, condemning rumours on the contrary as “disinformation”.
He “is working and attending to his affairs in Geneva,” claimed a federal government spokesperson, including Biya would certainly go back to Cameroon “in the coming days”.
Biya’s public looks have actually expanded sporadic over the last few years– mostly unusual telecasted speeches, pre-recorded and haltingly supplied, and household pictures and video clips revealing him along with his prominent spouse, Chantal.
jbk-lnf/sof/blb/ jhb/rlp
