Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has implemented a significant reorganization of the country’s military leadership, issuing several presidential decrees from abroad to promote and reassign key officers.
The reshuffle, announced on Monday, includes the elevation of Colonel Raymond Jean Charles Beko'o Abondo to Brigadier General. Beko'o Abondo retains his role as commander of the Presidential Guard, the elite unit tasked with the president’s security—a position he has held since 2013.
Additional changes include the appointment of a new commander for the Rapid Intervention Brigade and the promotion of Major General Ebaka Hippolyte to the Armed Forces General Staff. Several colonels have also been promoted to brigadier general, and leadership of motorised infantry brigades has been reassigned. These moves extend into the Ministry of Defence as well.
Context of Biya’s Absence
These military adjustments come as President Biya remains outside Cameroon, having departed for Switzerland on June 7 for what officials described as a private visit. His prolonged stay—now exceeding seven weeks—has sparked speculation about his health and capacity to govern, though the government insists he continues to direct state affairs remotely.
Opposition figures have criticized the extended absence, questioning the government’s silence on the president’s condition and expressing concerns over governance challenges during this period. Mamadou Mota, vice president of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, remarked that a nation cannot be effectively governed "by remote control" amid pressing socio-economic issues.
