In a move that has ignited fierce debate across Cameroon and the wider African continent, parliament has overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to reintroduce the position of vice president — a role that would for the first time give the world’s oldest serving head of state an appointed successor.
The bill, passed on Saturday April 4th by a joint session of both the ruling party-dominated National Assembly and Senate, received 200 votes in favour against just 18 votes against and four abstentions. President Paul Biya, who at 93 years old has ruled Cameroon since November 1982, now has 15 days to promulgate the amendment into law.
What the Amendment Does
Under the revised constitution, the vice president will be appointed and dismissed solely by the president — meaning Biya retains full control over who succeeds him. If Biya dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated, the vice president will automatically assume the presidency and serve out the remainder of the seven-year term. However, that interim leader would be prohibited from initiating constitutional changes or running in the subsequent election.
The post was abolished in 1972 following a constitutional referendum that transformed Cameroon from a federal into a unitary state. Prior to that, the vice presidency existed alongside a president elected jointly — a structure designed to reflect the nation’s linguistic and regional duality between its English- and French-speaking communities.
Government Defends the Move
Cameroon’s government argues the reform is essential to ensure institutional stability in the event of a sudden leadership vacuum. Supporters say it will lift the burden of succession from the Senate, allowing that chamber to focus on its legislative functions.
“Any responsible governance system must have clear mechanisms for continuity,” a government spokesperson said following the vote.
Opposition Slams ‘Coup’
Opposition lawmakers and civil society groups have roundly condemned the amendment as a power grab disguised as institutional reform.
Joshua Osih, chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) — the main opposition party with six parliamentary seats — boycotted the vote and called the changes a “missed historic opportunity.” The SDF had pushed for a system in which the president and vice president are jointly elected, a structure they argue would better reflect Cameroon’s origins as a union of British and French-administered territories.
Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, went further, describing the amendment as a “constitutional and institutional coup.” He announced plans to launch an online campaign to mobilise public opposition to the changes.
The Shadow of Health and Succession
Public discussion of Biya’s health remains a taboo subject in Cameroon, despite years of extended absences from public view. Rumours of his death or severe incapacitation have circulated repeatedly, only to be dispelled by his occasional reappearances. The new vice presidency has intensified speculation about who might be chosen as successor — a question that is now dominating political discussions in Yaoundé.
Biya won an eighth consecutive term in October 2025 with 53.7% of the vote, in an election the opposition described as heavily rigged.
The passage of the amendment marks Cameroon’s most significant constitutional revision since 2008, when presidential term limits were abolished — a move that sparked nationwide protests violently suppressed by security forces.
Sources: Reuters, BBC Africa, AP News, African News, DW