As Cameroon awaits the official proclamation of the 12 October presidential election results, the Catholic Bishops of Cameroon have appealed to the Constitutional Council to uphold the “authentic choices” of the electorate and preserve the integrity of the vote.
“Nothing should be changed by any authority involved in this exercise,” the bishops declared, stressing that the open and transparent counting observed at polling stations must be reflected in the official outcome.
The prelates’ message both pastoral and political in tone urged the Constitutional Council to act in truth and fairness, quoting the Gospel: “Let us be truth-tellers – and the truth shall set you free.”
The bishops lauded Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) for its logistical efficiency and voter education efforts, noting that ballot boxes were sealed transparently in the presence of party representatives and the public. Vote counting, they said, was conducted openly in most polling stations, allowing citizens to witness the tallying of their ballots.
“The people left expressing hope that they will recognise themselves in the results that will be published by the Constitutional Council,” the statement read, describing the mood among voters as one of cautious optimism.
However, the bishops did not shy away from highlighting flaws in the process. They cited low voter turnout in some urban centres with abstention rates surpassing 90 per cent in places such as Matamfen Supérieur and Lycée de Tsinga attributing the figures partly to outdated voter registers and limited civic awareness campaigns.
Persistent failures to update electoral lists were reported in Douala, Yaoundé, Maroua, Garoua, and Bertoua, which the bishops said may have disenfranchised eligible voters.
More troubling were isolated incidents of violence, including clashes in Garoua that left a police officer injured and a gendarme’s vehicle torched, as well as disturbances in Douala, where police intervention in a convoy led to injuries.
NECC also decried the exclusion of some candidates’ observers from polling stations and cases of ballot paper destruction, urging swift and impartial investigations.
Despite these shortcomings, the bishops described the election as a step forward in Cameroon’s democratic evolution. Still, they criticised a procedural gap: the signing of ELECAM minutes by party representatives only on the first and last pages leaving out the pages detailing actual vote counts which, they said, undermines transparency.
The bishops’ message builds on an earlier April 2024 pastoral letter, which reaffirmed the Church’s role in promoting ethical civic participation.
NECC’s intervention underscores the Catholic Church’s longstanding role as a moral watchdog in Cameroon’s electoral landscape one often marked by contestation and mistrust since the advent of multiparty politics in 1990.
The bishops concluded their appeal with a call for peace and reconciliation, urging all citizens to contribute to the nation’s progress through hard work and love for their country:
“We pray for peace, stability, and the emergence of a stronger commitment from all, thanks to the contributions of millions of Cameroonians through their daily work and love for the country.”
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
