The Catholic Bishops of Cameroon have called on the Constitutional Council to uphold the authentic choices of the electorate in its forthcoming declaration on the 12 October presidential election, echoing the transparency witnessed at polling stations across the country.
In a strongly worded statement issued on 19 October by the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), the bishops commended the largely peaceful conduct of the vote but expressed deep concern over isolated incidents of violence and procedural lapses. Anchoring their message on the palpable satisfaction of voters at the local level, where ballot counts were declared openly in their presence, the prelates implored national authorities to ensure that “nothing will be changed by any authority involved in this exercise” when the final results are proclaimed.
“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,” the statement concluded, quoting Christ’s words: “Let us be truth-tellers – and the truth shall set you free.”
The election, which saw an estimated 12.57 per cent of the 23,000-plus polling stations observed by 1,257 NECC-trained monitors across the nation’s 10 regions, unfolded in a “calm and peaceful” atmosphere, according to the bishops. Security forces, including police and gendarmes, were praised for securing sites effectively, while the National Elections Observatory (ELECAM) and its agents were lauded for their “commendable” efforts in voter education and logistical preparation.
The Bishops said their observers reported that ballot boxes were sealed transparently in the presence of party representatives and the public, with vote tallies conducted openly in most stations. “The counting of ballot papers in most polling stations was appreciated,” the NECC noted, highlighting instances where voters, upon leaving the polls, voiced their hope that their ballots – counted and declared before them – would be duly recognised in the official tally.
This grassroots endorsement, the bishops argued, must guide the Constitutional Council’s adjudication, mirroring the democratic civility displayed at the community level. “The people left, expressing their hope that they will still recognise themselves in the results that will be published by the Constitutional Council,” the statement read.
Yet, the communique was not without critique. High abstention rates in some cases exceeding 90 per cent, were flagged in areas such as Matamfen Supérieur and Lycée de Tsinga, attributed partly to outdated electoral registers and insufficient voter outreach.
Failures to update voter lists persisted in regions like Douala, Yaoundé, Maroua, Garoua, and Bertoua, potentially disenfranchising eligible citizens.
More troubling were reports of sporadic violence marring the process. In Garoua, clashes between police and young people returning from polling stations resulted in injuries to a police officer and the burning of a gendarme’s vehicle. Similar unrest erupted in Douala, including an incident where police intervened in a convoy, leaving one participant injured. The bishops also decried the exclusion of certain candidates’ observers from ELECAM lists and the destruction of ballot papers in isolated cases, urging swift investigations.
Despite these irregularities, which the NECC described as not representative of the broader national mood, the bishops noted progress towards democracy.
They criticised, however, the signing of ELECAM minutes by party representatives only on the first and last pages, omitting the middle sections containing vote counts – a practice that undermines full transparency.
The bishops’ statement builds on an April 2024 pastoral letter from the bishops’ plenary assembly, which reiterated the Church’s commitment to guiding the faithful towards ethical participation in electoral processes.
The NECC’s intervention underscores the Catholic Church’s longstanding role as a moral arbiter in Cameroon’s fractious political landscape, where multiparty elections since 1990 have often been shadowed by disputes and allegations of fraud.
