Jean Michel Nintcheu has joined Barrister Akere Muna and other female Cameroonian politicians to condemn a recent decision by Territorial Administration Minister, Paul Atanga Nji, banning the media from reporting on President Paul Biya’s health. This comes after the Commitee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement challenging the press censorship and calling on the government to take action to stop the rumours.
The Member of Parliament, Jean Michel Nintcheu, said Atanga Nji had no competence to control the media since he is neither the Minister of Communication nor the President of the National Communication Council (NCC).
Barrister Akere Muna stated that the decision violated the constitution and exceeded the competence of his ministry.
On October 9, Paul Atanga Nji released a statement to the country’s Governors, declaring that all media debates about the President’s health were “formally prohibited.”
This was after viral speculations had circulated about the health and whereabouts of 91-year-old President Biya, who had been “missing” for over 30 days.
Atanga Nji forbade the private press from disseminating any comments or opinions relating to Biya’s health.
He warned that violators would “face the full force of the law” and directed regional Governors to monitor the media and ensure the decision was implemented.
Atanga Nji’s Decision Perceived as ‘a Bad Joke’
While the decision received backlash from many Cameroonians, politicians like Akere Muna find it ridiculous.
The 2025 Presidential hopeful wrote: “Since the communique was issued I have spent a good part of my time responding to international organisations and human rights activists from different parts of the world. They thought it was fake or a bad joke. As I plan to travel out of the country I prepare myself to listen to our country and it’s citizens being once more ridiculed and laughed at.”
Cameroonian MP, Jean Michel Nintcheu, who is the founder of the opposition party, Front pour le Changement du Cameroun (FCC), said Cameronians have the right to know about their President’s well-being.
“The President of the Republic is a national institution – which therefore belongs to all Cameroonians – and not the personal heritage of M. Atanga Nji,” Nintcheu wrote.
“Therefore our fellow countrymen have the right to know his whereabouts and his health condition.”
Cameronians are yet to see the President since his last public appearance on September 8. Rather than addreses the key question of where the president is, the government has engaged in press censorship and threats.
