Cameroonian President Paul Biya has convened the Superior Council of Magistracy for March 18, 2026, at the Unity Palace in Yaoundé. This announcement ends a nearly six-year hiatus, with the council's last session dating back to August 10, 2020.
The announcement was broadcast on CRTV, the national television channel. André Luther Meka, a spokesperson for the RDPC (Rassemblement Démocratique du Peuple Camerounais), confirmed the information and promised "surprises for skeptics" regarding the Head of State's ability to govern actively.
The Superior Council of Magistracy is an institution responsible for overseeing the careers of magistrates, including appointments, promotions, and disciplinary actions. Its prolonged absence has led to an accumulation of pending cases, affecting the functioning of the Cameroonian judicial system. More than 150 magistrates who have reached retirement age have remained in service, while nearly 300 young graduates from ENAM (École Nationale d'Administration et de Magistrature) are awaiting integration.
This convocation comes in a tense political context, less than two years before the presidential election. Some observers believe that this initiative aims to regain control of the judicial apparatus as important institutional deadlines approach. The council's failure to meet has also blocked the processing of complaints of corruption and misconduct against magistrates.
The March 18 meeting could regularize the situation of many magistrates awaiting decisions regarding their careers. It could also lead to the appointment of new members to the Council, whose terms have expired.
The holding of this council is awaited by many actors in the Cameroonian judicial sector, who hope for a resolution of the problems accumulated in recent years. It remains to be seen whether this session will bring the expected changes and revive the country's judicial system.
