It has been duly established by the Minister of Communication, that President Paul Biya is not only alive, but kicking strong and directing the management of state affairs especially the present Corona virus pandemic.
Many are those Cameroonians who had feared him dead as announced on social media on Wednesday March 25th 2020 by a certain Kamwa La Panthere through a live facebook outing.
The announcement immediately spread wide across the country with many tempted to believe, given that the author presented his source as a former government Minister, and in-law to the Head of State, Prof. Robert Nkili.
The fact that President Paul Biya had not made a public appearence relative to the outbreak of Covid-19 like other Presidents was another factor that played to the favour of the author.
Kamwa la Panthere, identified by the Ministry of Communication as a Cameroonian residing in Paris-France, in his outing alleged that a medicalized plane landed in Cameroon to evacuate Paul Biya for treatment but left after finding out that he had passed away.
According to a statement from the chief of the Division of Media Observation and Public Opinion at the Ministry of Communication, Charles Atangana Manda, the allegations are all false and ill intentioned.
All attempts by this reporter to get in touch with the former Minister, Robert Nkili or his close entourage failed.
What ever the case, the story remains a rumor until officially proven by the powers that be.
It is not the first time that information about the death of the President has spread wide.
In 2004, while on a trip abroad, Paul Biya was announced dead still by social media and upon arrival in the country at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport, the Head of State asked his detractors to try again in 20 years time, that is by 2024.
Reactions to the rumor of the death of Paul Biya were presented by some Anglophone Separatists in the Diaspora who seemingly were happy for it to have happened.
