Unbelievable: Meet African President Who Continues To Rule His Country From Abroad & Never Loses An Election

By Swift Reporter

For more than four decades, Paul Biya has remained at the centre of Cameroon’s political life, building one of Africa’s longest presidencies while developing a highly unusual style of leadership.

At 93, Biya has ruled Cameroon since 1982 and has never lost a presidential election. Yet, unlike many heads of state, he has frequently governed while spending extended periods outside the country, with Switzerland becoming his preferred destination.

His long stays abroad have made Geneva almost as familiar a setting in discussions about Cameroon’s presidency as the capital, Yaoundé.

The arrangement has repeatedly sparked debate over Biya’s health, his ability to run the government from abroad and what his continued leadership means for the future of Cameroon.

Despite the questions, Biya has remained firmly in power.

Biya took power in November 1982 after succeeding Ahmadou Ahidjo, who had led Cameroon since independence.

More than four decades later, Biya remains president, making him one of the world’s longest-serving national leaders and Africa’s longest-serving president currently in office.

Throughout his political career, he has repeatedly secured victory in presidential elections.

His latest victory came after the 2025 presidential election, extending his rule for another term.

But Biya’s relationship with Cameroon has increasingly been defined by his periods away from home.

Rather than maintaining a constant public presence in Yaoundé, the president has often spent months abroad, particularly in Switzerland, while government affairs continue under the administration in Cameroon.

Biya’s prolonged absences have occasionally triggered intense speculation.

In 2024, rumours spread widely on social media claiming that the president had died.

The speculation became so widespread that Biya eventually appeared publicly after returning to Cameroon, where he was seen meeting officials and appearing at public events.

His appearance helped put the rumours to rest.

But after the public engagements, he once again returned to Switzerland.

A similar pattern emerged around Cameroon’s 2025 presidential election.

Biya returned home ahead of the election and spent weeks campaigning before leaving the country again.

After he was declared the winner, he returned for his swearing-in ceremony, marking the beginning of another term in office.

Once the ceremony was over, he reportedly departed again for Switzerland.

Biya’s frequent stays in Switzerland have long attracted attention, particularly because the country has become a regular base for the president and his family.

His supporters maintain that governing from abroad does not prevent him from exercising his constitutional responsibilities, while critics argue that such lengthy absences raise questions about accessibility, accountability and the day-to-day running of government.

The debate has become even more significant as Biya has grown older.

At 93, the president belongs to a generation of African leaders whose political careers began decades before many of today’s voters were born.

Yet despite his age and long periods abroad, he continues to occupy the highest office in Cameroon.

Biya’s unusual leadership style has come under renewed attention following reports of a major reshuffle within Cameroon’s military establishment.

According to reports, the changes were prompted by intelligence pointing to an alleged plot to overthrow the government.

The details of the alleged coup plan have not been fully made public, and the identities of those supposedly involved have not been conclusively established.

It is therefore unclear whether the military changes represent a routine restructuring or a response to a serious security concern.

What has made the development particularly significant is that it comes while Biya is once again spending much of his time outside Cameroon.

The reported security shake-up has consequently renewed questions about the strength of the institutions surrounding the president and the future of a government that has remained under the same leader for more than 40 years.

Whatever the controversies surrounding his presidency, Biya’s political longevity is extraordinary.

He has contested multiple presidential elections and has remained the winner each time.

His presidency has survived political opposition, economic difficulties, social unrest and major changes across Cameroon and the wider African continent.

For supporters, his continued victories demonstrate enduring political strength.

For critics, however, the country’s political system has raised questions about the competitiveness of elections and the prospects for a transition to a new generation of leadership.

That debate is likely to continue as Biya’s presidency enters another chapter.

For now, the 93-year-old remains in office, spending much of his time in Switzerland while his government continues operating in Yaoundé.

And that is what makes Biya’s presidency so unusual: an African leader who has remained in power for more than four decades, has never lost a presidential election and has increasingly become known for ruling a country while spending long periods outside it.