Cameroon’s National Assembly Speaker for 34 years, Right Honorable Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, died May 6, just barely two months after he was removed from the position. He was 86 years old.
He reportedly died in his native village of Mada in the country’s Far North region, where he accrued significant influence both as a politician, an elite, and a traditional chief.
He had been residing in his native home since April, when he returned home from Yaounde to a lavish retirement homecoming attended by hundreds of people—an event that seemed to be his farewell ceremony both from politics and, now, from the world.
Cavaye was at the center of Cameroonian politics for more than three decades, presiding over six presidential oath-taking ceremonies (from 1997 to 2026) and holding one of the most consequential positions in the Republic.
As Speaker of the National Assembly, he played by the rules of President Paul Biya’s CPDM party and is not known for taking any decision that contradicted party dictates.
He was next to the Senate President in the official hierarchy and was positioned by the Constitution as a potentially successor of the President in the case of death, incapacity, or resignation before organizing a fresh election within a limited time.
A Political Life Spanning 34 Years as Speaker
Cavaye Yeguie Djibril’s political career began in earnest when he first entered the National Assembly.
After ten years as an MP, he was elected as its Second Vice-President in 1983.
In 1985, when President Biya transformed the National Union of Cameroon (CNU) into the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), Cavaye was retained as a member of the CPDM Central Committee.
He served as Second Vice-President for five years before departing the legislature at the end of the parliamentary term in 1988, instead becoming the Assistant Senior Divisional Officer of Diamare.
He returned to the National Assembly in the March 1992 parliamentary election and was then elected as President, a position he would hold for 34 uninterrupted years, making him the longest-serving House Speaker in Cameroon’s history.
His tenure ended only in March 2026, when he was voted out by the CPDM Parliamentary group, just two months before his death.
During his decades as Speaker, Cavaye presided over six presidential inauguration ceremonies, beginning with President Paul Biya’s re-election in 1997 and continuing through to the most recent in 2026.
His presence at the helm of the National Assembly made him a constant figure in Cameroon’s political landscape, witnessing and overseeing the country’s legislative evolution through multiple presidential terms and national crises.
Managing a National Assembly that Never Challenged the Executive
As Speaker, Cavaye was known for running the National Assembly with a firm hand and a reputation for efficiency, though critics often accused him of presiding over a legislature that never challenged the executive.
Critics argue that he effectively aided Biya to tighten his grip on power by clapping through constitutional amendments that abolished the two-time presidential term limits.
Under Cavaye’s leadership, the National Assembly passed key legislation including annual budget laws, electoral codes, and decentralization reforms.
One of his notable policy stances was his consistent advocacy for parliamentary diplomacy. He pushed for greater engagement between Cameroon’s National Assembly and other legislatures across Africa and the world, hosting numerous inter-parliamentary delegations and positioning Cameroon as a central player in Central African legislative affairs.
Cavaye was also instrumental in steering through laws related to the country’s 1996 Constitution and subsequent amendments.
He will also be remembered on how the National Assembly handled the grievances of Anglophone Cameroonians while he was Speaker.
Under his leadership, Parliament quashed all attempts by some Anglophone MPs to get initiate discussions on the lingering Anglophone Problem that morphed into a deadly armed conflict in the English-speaking regions in 2017.
He would later oversee the adoption of legislation on the special status of English-speaking regions, passed following the major National Dialogue of 2019, though many Anglophone activists argued the laws did not go far enough to address their concerns.
He maintained strict adherence to parliamentary procedure and was known for invoking standing orders to cut short debates he deemed unruly or unproductive.
Supporters praised him for maintaining order and efficiency; detractors accused him of stifling dissent and limiting opposition voices.
On financial management, Cavaye presided over a National Assembly that saw its budget increase significantly during his tenure, with funds allocated for new parliamentary buildings, staff salaries, and international travel.
He defended these expenditures as necessary for the dignity of the institution.
Cavaye the Traditional Ruler: 55 Years as Village Chief
Although national politics dominated his public life, Cavaye Yeguie Djibril had been Chief of his native Mada village for 55 years, a position he held concurrently with his parliamentary duties.
The village is located in Tokombere Subdivision of Mayo Sava Division in the Far North region.
His chieftaincy portfolio was raised from Second Class to First Class Chief in July 2025, an elevation that mirrored his dual standing as both a national political figure and a respected traditional authority in his homeland.
As chief, Cavaye wielded significant influence over local governance, land disputes, and customary justice in his community. His return to Mada in April 2026 was marked by a lavish homecoming attended by hundreds of people who trained him right from the Maroua Airport where he landed from Yaounde.
That event, viewed in retrospect, served as both a political farewell and a return to his roots before his final days.
Personal Life
Cavaye is survived by four wives and 15 children.
His passing marks the end of an era in Cameroonian politics as he leaves behind a complex legacy of parliamentary longevity and unanswered questions about the concentration of power around Paul Biya for more than four decades.
