Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, has announced that he will contest in the next presidential election. At 92 years old, Biya is currently the world’s oldest serving head of state and has been in power for more than 40 years.

In 2008, he made it possible to stay in power by removing the rule that limited how many times a person can run for president. Since then, he has continued to run and win elections.

His intention to seek an eighth term in office was shared on July 13 through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account. In the message, Biya said, “I am a candidate in the presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face.”

If he wins again, Biya could remain in office until he is almost 100 years old. He first became president in 1982, after the country’s first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo, stepped down.

There have been many rumors about Biya’s health, especially last year when he disappeared from public view for 42 days. His long silence made many people wonder if he was unwell.

Although many expected him to run again, his official confirmation came only with Sunday’s social media announcement. Before this, he had been active on his verified X account, which made people think an announcement was coming.

Now that his candidacy is official, discussions are expected to rise again about whether Biya is fit to govern. He rarely appears in public and often lets his chief of staff handle major duties.

In October last year, he returned to Cameroon after being away for 42 days. While the government said he was in good health, they banned the public from discussing anything about his medical condition, calling it a matter of national security.

Over the years, Cameroon has faced many problems under Biya’s leadership, including economic hardship and different security issues. Yet, he continues to hold on to power, and now he’s ready to run once again.