"On the tarmac (Geneva-Cointrin airport, ed) the police took care to hide the Boeing 767-200 in view, placing several vehicles to prevent photographers to immortalize the president and the first lady. But, between two vehicles, Chantal's famous haircut and her orange-red dress immediately betrayed her, "said Richard Etienne, reporter at the Tribune de Genève.
Since the evening of Friday, July 5, 2019, the head of state Paul Biya and the first lady, Chantal Biya are in their official residence located in the grounds of the Palace of Unity in Etoudi, a district of Yaounde. The presidential couple spent their first night there after 12 days of absence. This first night was probably peaceful compared to those spent at the Intercontinental hotel in Geneva, which were not relaxing.
Reached a private stay in Switzerland, Paul and Chantal Biya had a nightmarish retreat because of protests by activists in the Cameroonian diaspora, opposed to the presidential couple's stay at the Intercontinental, a five-star hotel.
Forced to leave their paradise, the head of state and the first lady hastily left Geneva in the circumstances described by our colleague Etienne Richard
"The Cameroonian presidential couple, made up of Chantal and Paul Biya, left Geneva just after noon on Friday. A procession of black cars with tinted windows left the Intercontinental Hotel, largely surrounded by Geneva police forces.
On the tarmac, the police were careful to hide the Boeing 767-200 from view, placing several vehicles, including a bus normally made available to air passengers, to prevent photographers to immortalize the president and the first lady.
But, between two vehicles, Chantal's famous haircut and her orange-red dress immediately betrayed her. Her husband was at his side while boarding. The plane took off around 12:30, "writes our colleague in the Tribune de Genève.
This Swiss newspaper takes the opportunity to recall the long-standing relationship between Paul Biya and the Intercontinental Hotel, not without questioning the future of this relationship that would have cost several billion CFA francs to the public treasury of Cameroon. "Sources say the Federal Bern has put pressure on Paul Biya to leave Switzerland. Contacted, the spokesperson of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is content to say, in pure diplomatic language, that "the FDFA is aware of this departure. He has not been absent from this debate during the last days, "without commenting further. Still, it may be the end of an era for the Intercontinental Hotel. "Paul Biya is by far the most loyal head of state in the hotel," says Herbert Schott, its director from 1981 to 2002. The former executive recalls that "he always paid his bills, usually cash before to leave is an exceptional character, quiet, who came to rest, "recalls the former executive. Paul Biya generally rented the 16th floor, with two apartments and twenty rooms, for his personal care and his relatives. Formerly, he would go for a jog in the park of Bude or bike tours, until Versoix "writes the Swiss newspaper.
In his 37 years in office, Paul Biya has always hitherto taken holidays in Geneva, Switzerland, or Mvomeka'a, his native village in the Southern Region.
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