Cameroon bans media from discussing President’s health

Cameroon has banned the media from discussing the health of 91-year-old President Paul Biya, who has not been seen in public since early September.

Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji has imposed the ban, stating that “debate in the media” on the president’s health was “strictly prohibited”, and ordering that “monitoring cells” charged with tracking online content be set up.

The letter, which was addressed to regional governors and bore a red stamp reading “highly urgent”, said that discussions on the health of the president were “a matter of national security”, warning that anyone violating the order would “face the full force of the law”.

Biya was last seen in public at China-Africa summit in Beijing a month ago.

Since then, he has not attended gatherings at which he had been expected, including United Nations General Assembly in New York or a summit of French-speaking countries in Paris.

Government spokesperson Rene Sadi addressed the speculation over the president’s health claiming that Biya had paid a private visit to Europe after Beijing.