The President of Cameroon, Paul Biya has been in power for 35 years, making him one of the longest serving leaders of an African country, but holding cabinet meetings is very rare under his watch.
The 84 year old on Thursday chaired a cabinet meeting for the first time since October 2015, making it the fourth meeting he has held since 2012.
President Biya is bidding to run another term in this year’s election but reportedly spends much of his time outside the country because of health concerns.
The government spokesperson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary said the meeting would be held closed doors with officials not permitted to speak to journalists.
President Biya of Cameroon is chairing a cabinet meeting today-His first one since October 2015 (4th one since 2012).
Mr Biya, who has been in power since 1982 &is being backed to run for another term in this year’s election, is known to spend much of his time outside the Country pic.twitter.com/FQSR0o2rpG— Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) March 15, 2018
Bakary told Reuters that “The only person authorised to speak is the communication minister, and that’s me”, and he revealed that the Prime Minister Philemon Yang would give a statement afterwards.
Cameroon is currently witnessing agitations from the people of the country’s English speaking region who have accused the Francophone majority of discrimination.
Their concerns ranges from not getting jobs opportunities and having legal systems in French language imposed on them.
Those claims have been rejected by the government. There has been a crackdown on such dissents as well in the past months with hundreds arrested just over the past four months.
Cameroon was colonised by Germany but was split into British and French areas after World War One.
Source: Africafeeds.com
