Cameroonian President Paul Biya has appointed his son, Franck Emmanuel Biya, as vice president and head of the armed forces, becoming the first VP in his four-decade rule after the position was scrapped in 1972.
This means that should anything happen to the sickly Biya, 93, the VP will become president before a new election is held.
The appointment, which was announced via presidential decree, comes two days after controversial constitutional changes backed by the Cameroonian Parliament.
Cameroon’s parliament on Saturday overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to reintroduce the position of vice president, a measure the government says will ensure continuity but which the opposition say will consolidate executive power.
In a joint session of the ruling party-dominated National Assembly and Senate, lawmakers voted 200 to 18 in favour, with four abstentions, to pass the bill.
The bill stipulates that the vice president will automatically assume the presidency if President Paul Biya dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated.
Biya has led the oil- and cocoa-producing Central African country since 1982 and is the world’s oldest serving Head of State.
Public discussion about his health is banned.
