Cameroon reintroduces vice president position after more than 40 years

Cameroon has reintroduced the Vice President position following fresh constitutional changes. 

This means that should anything happen to the sickly President Paul Biya, the VP will become president before a new election is held.

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.

The reintroduction of the vice presidency marks Cameroon's first major constitutional revision since 2008 when presidential term limits were scrapped in a move that sparked nationwide protests, which were met with a violent crackdown by security forces.

The vice presidency was previously part of Cameroon's governance structure but was abolished in 1972 following a constitutional referendum.

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