Paul Biya Seeking to Prolong His 36-year Rule

His Excellency Paul Biya was born on 13 February 1933 at Mvomeka’a, Meyomessala Subdivision, Dja-et-Lobo Division, South Region. He is the son of Etienne Mvondo Assam and Anastasie Eyenga Elle.

Biya is Cameroon’s second Head of State. He came to power on 6 November 1982 following the resignation of President Ahmadou Ahidjo on 4 November.

Primary and Secondary Education

• June 1948: C.E.P.E: Catholic School Nden
• 1948-1950: St. Tharcissius Pre-seminary, Edea
• 1950-1954: Minor Seminary, Akono
• June 1953: B.E.P.C
• 1954-1956: Lycée Général Leclerc
• June 1955: Baccalauréat 1ère partie
• June 1956: Baccalauréat 2ème partie (philosophy)

Higher Education

Lycée Louis Le Grand, Paris; Université Paris Sorbonne (Faculty of Law); Institut d’Études Politiques, Paris; Institut des Hautes Études d’Outre Mer.

• 1960: Licence en Droit Public
• 1961: Diplôme de l’Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris
• 1962: Diplôme de l’Institut des Hautes Études d’Outre Mer (IHEOM)
• 1963: Diplôme d’Études Supérieures en Droit Public.

Decorations

• Grand Master of National Orders
• Commander of National Order, exceptional c1ass (Federal Republic of Germany)
• Commander of National Order (Tunisia)
• Grand Cross of the Senegalese National Order of Merit
• Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
• Great Commander of the Medal of St-George (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
• Grand Collar of the Ouissam Mohammadi Order (Kingdom of Morocco)
• Grand Commander of the Order of Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria)
• Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Maryland (USA)
• Honorary Professor of the University of Beijing (People’s Republic of China)
• Holder of several decorations from various other countries

Career

• October 1962 Mr. Paul BIYA was appointed Chargé de Mission at the Presidency of the Republic upon his return from Paris.
• January 1964 Director of Cabinet of the Minister of National Education, Youth Affairs and Culture; July 1965 Secretary-General of the Ministry of National Education, Youth Affairs and Culture
• December 1967 Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President of the Republic
• January 1968 While still serving as Director of the Civil Cabinet, Mr. BIYA was appointed Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic.
• August 1968 Minister, Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic
• June 1970 Minister of State, Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic
• June 1975 Prime Minister of the United Republic of Cameroon
• June 1979 By virtue of Law No.79/2 of 29 June 1979, the Prime Minister became the Constitutional successor to the President of the Republic.
• 6 November 1982 Mr. Paul Biya was sworn in as President of the United Republic of Cameroon, the second President in the history of the country.

The ceremony took place at the National Assembly building, before of the people’s elected representatives, following the resignation of President Ahmadou Ahidjo on 4 November 1982.

At the time of his accession to power, Mr. Paul Biya was 1st Vice-President of the Central Committee of the Cameroon National Union (CNU) and Member of the Political Bureau of the Party.

Winner of Presidential Elections Since

Paul Biya was elected president of the Republic on 14 January 1984, re-elected on 24 April 1988, and in 11 October 1992 (the first presidential election in Cameroon by direct universal suffrage with multiple candidates). He once again won elections on 11 October 1997, 10 October 2004 and 9 October 2011.

Political Party Roles

Biya was president of the Cameroon National Union on 14 September 1984. On March 24 1985, following the transformation of the CNU into CPDM, Biya was elected president of the new party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement.

By enacting the law on associations and political parties on 19 December 1990, Mr. Paul BIYA restored multiparty politics in Cameroon (since 1 September 1966, the country had been going through an era of de facto one-party politics). To date, more than 200 political parties have been legalised.

The CPDM obtained absolute majority in the March 1997, June 2002, July 2007 and September 2013 legislative elections. Despite these victories, the President of the Republic has always chosen to form inclusive governments.

Four parties are represented in Government: the CPDM, NUDP, NADP and FNSC. Seven parties are represented at the National Assembly: CPDM, SDF, NUDP, CDU, UPC, MDR and CRM. Seven parties are represented in the Senate: CPDM, SDF, NUDP, CDU, MDR, FNSC and NADP.

Publications

Mr. Paul BIYA is author of a political essay, Communal Liberalism, published by Editions Marcel Fabre, Lausanne 1987. The book has been translated into English, German and Hebrew.

In the book, the Head of State announced the advent of the multiparty system (which became effective in 1990) after the interim period of the one-party system. He explained his option for economic liberalism and private initiative while advocating national solidarity.