Africa's Oldest President Marks 40 Years In Power | General News

Africa's oldest president and one of many continent's longest-serving rulers – President Paul Biya – will mark 40 years in energy this weekend.

Nationwide commemorative actions have been deliberate and his supporters are celebrating his achievements.

But the 89-year-old's opponents are lukewarm, calling on him to step down and hand over energy to a youthful technology.

Mr Biya's lengthy rule has been characterised by nice ambition but additionally with vital failures.

Systemic corruption is Cameroon's largest downfall, says the ex-head of Transparency International and former presidential candidate Akere Muna.

“On the production of mines, who are the miners? What do they produce? What do they pay to the country? Why do the citizens not have access to information about spending of their own country's riches?,” he says.

The government can also be engaged in a bitter battle in opposition to Anglophone separatists within the nation's two English-speaking areas that has compelled about two million Cameroonians from their properties and killed 1000's of civilians.

“He changed the name of the country from United Republic to the La République du Cameroun, which is the name the French-speaking republic of Cameroon had before we ever joined them in 1961,” one man on the road tells me, saying it sums up the Anglophone grievance in opposition to the French-speaking majority.

“It will be good if the regime tries to change,” says one other girl I communicate to. “Why not make it a woman, why not make it a young person to take over?”

Another man says “the little he has done, we appreciate”, however suggests it is now time for Mr Biya to “go and rest”.

But, as President Biya informed journalists some years again after getting back from certainly one of his lengthy stays overseas, anybody who desires him useless must wait one other 20 years.