Observers warn the country may plunge into a protracted power scramble in the event of Biya's abrupt demise. They argue that constitutional provisions for transition and succession in Cameroon are not clear-cut and so the country cannot expect a smooth transition.
"There will be a constitutional vacuum leading to a major crisis because there is no constitutional roadmap for succession. The inevitable result is that the military will take over because that is the only corporate body that can impose its will on the whole country," added Nfor Susungi, a Cameroonian financial expert who is based in Ivory Coast and a longtime Biya critic.
Nicole Nana, the 30-year-old unemployed mother, said she does not have faith in the political system.
"Politics means very little to Cameroonians my age," said Nana. "People don't vote because they know they'll not see any change. In fact, many of my age-mates and I are agreed that only death will divorce Biya and the Cameroon presidency."
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