Cameroon’s influential Catholic Church has called for calm amid growing fears of unrest following last week’s presidential election.
Opposition candidate and former government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary has declared himself the winner of the October 12 polls, claiming victory over 92-year-old President Paul Biya, who is seeking to extend his 43-year rule by another seven years.
Tchiroma’s self-declaration has drawn sharp criticism from the government and Biya’s ruling party, who have both dismissed the move as illegal and premature. The Constitutional Council has not yet released the official results and has until October 27 to announce the winner.
The opposition leader’s defiance and vow to “defend his victory” have heightened tensions, raising fears of potential violence in the Central African nation.
In a statement issued by the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), the country’s Catholic Bishops appealed for peace, urging citizens to remain calm as the electoral process runs its course.
“We hope that the official results will reflect the true will of the electorate, and that no authority involved in this exercise will seek to alter the outcome,” the statement read.
The Catholic Church, long regarded as a moral compass in Cameroon, echoed widespread public calls for transparency and fairness in the announcement of results.
Some senior clerics have previously criticized President Biya’s leadership. Earlier this year, Monsignor Yaouda Hourgo, Bishop of Yagoua in the Far North region, lamented the nation’s suffering under Biya’s rule, remarking during a homily that “it would be preferable for the devil to take power than for Biya to run again.”
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Council has announced it will begin hearing complaints of electoral fraud on Wednesday. Its verdict will play a decisive role in determining who leads Cameroon next.
In a message directed to the Council’s judges, the Bishops reiterated their guiding principle:
“The truth shall set you free.”
