Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest leader, is set to appoint a vice-president for the first time in his four-decade rule following controversial constitutional amendments approved by parliament according to BBC.
Under the new arrangement, if anything happens to Biya, 93, the vice-president will automatically assume office and complete the term before fresh elections are conducted.
The role of vice-president had been scrapped in 1972. In recent years, the Senate president was expected to step in temporarily in such situations, pending a new election.
Opposition figures criticised the changes, describing them as rushed and aimed at tightening control. Even a senator from Biya’s party labelled the process as “suspicious”.
There has long been speculation about the president’s health, though public discussion remains largely avoided, with Biya often dispelling rumours by reappearing after extended absences.
The constitutional amendment was passed during a joint session of parliament, with 200 lawmakers voting in favour, 18 against, and four abstaining. It now awaits presidential approval.
Supporters argue the reform will improve governance by ensuring continuity and reducing the burden on the Senate, allowing it to focus on legislative duties.
Previously, the constitution mandated that the Senate president would take over temporarily if the president died or became incapacitated, pending an election.
The new provision states that the vice-president, who will be appointed by the president rather than elected, will take over as head of state to complete the remaining seven-year term.
Opposition parties said the amendment lacked broad consultation. The Social Democratic Front boycotted the vote, advocating instead for a system where the vice-president is elected alongside the president.
The party also proposed that the top two positions reflect the country’s English and French-speaking divide, as was the case before 1972.
“This constitutional reform could have been a moment of political courage, but it is nothing less than a missed historic opportunity,” SDF chairman Joshua Osih said.
Another opposition leader, Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, described the amendment as a “constitutional and institutional coup” and accused the government of pursuing a “republican monarchy”.
He also announced plans to launch an online campaign to challenge the move.
Cameroon operated a federal system between 1961 and 1972, during which the vice-president role existed. The position was removed after a referendum established a unitary system.
Biya, who has been in power since November 1982, won an eighth term last October with 53.7% of the vote in an election the opposition claimed was rigged.
With the constitutional changes now in place, attention has shifted to who will be appointed as the country’s first vice-president in over four decades.