Cameroon: Catholic Church appeals for calm amid election tensions
Cameroon’s influential Catholic Church has issued a call for peace amid rising tensions following the October 12 presidential election. The official results, to be declared by the Constitutional Council by October 27, are still pending.
This comes after opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary defiantly declared himself the winner over 92-year-old President Paul Biya, who is seeking to extend his 43-year rule. The government condemned Tchiroma’s move as illegal.
In a statement, the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon expressed hope that the official result would “reflect the will of the electorate,” adding that “nothing will be changed by any authority.”
The highly respected Church, seen as a moral voice, urged the Constitutional Council to ensure the result is not rigged, echoing public sentiment.
The Council is now set to hear complaints over alleged electoral fraud, with its verdict being crucial for the nation’s future stability. The bishops sent a simple, powerful message to the judges: “The truth shall set you free”
