By Hope Nda
The Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Andrew Fuanya Nkea, who currently heads the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), has asked Cameroonians to quit hiding behind the Catholic Church to attain their political goals, but to take their civic responsibilities as citizens.
Speaking in the context of the October 12, 2025, presidential election where the world’s oldest leader, President Paul Biya, got a seven-year term for the eighth time, Mgr Nkea said the NECC does not proclaim election results and is not a political party.
The statement was made in Kumba last Tuesday, January 6, at the opening of the 49th annual seminar of Bishops, the first public outing by the Bishops since October’s election.
“Some people don’t understand what the National Episcopal Conference is and its role in society… an Episcopal Conference is not a political party nor is it an electoral commission or a constitutional commission to give results of elections in various countries,” the prelate said.
“An Episcopal Conference is not an institution to be manipulated by political parties and individuals with grievances against the state. I therefore call in Cameroonians of all walks of life to take their responsibilities as political actors and stop hiding behind the Catholic Church and expecting her to do their duty,” he continued.
By taking their responsibilities, he said Cameroonians must participate in political activities especially by voting in elections—a call that the Bishops had made during their 48th annual seminar in Buea last January.
The NECC President’s outing came amid public sentiments that the Catholic Church, which is the largest Christian denomination in the country, has the responsibility of speaking truth to the power that be, in a context where the 2025 election was marred by allegations of fraud allegedly by members of the ruling CPDM party.
For the record, President Paul Biya was declared winner of the poll with 53.66 percent of the vote, outpacing his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who had 35.2 percent.
The declaration of results by the Constitutional Council on October 27 sparked public outcry in some cities in the country, as citizens took to the streets denouncing what they viewed as fraudulent results.
The protests however turned deadly, especially in the economic capital Douala, when security forces confronted the protesters who had taken advantage of the chaos to loot shops and supermarkets.
Mgr Nkea said the NECC took note of the election results but strongly abhorred the violence that followed the process.
“We subsequently took note of the official announcement of the presidential election results by the Constitutional Council. Unfortunately, contrary to what we had hoped for in our pastoral letter in 2025, our country experienced the inevitability of post-election violence with significant material damage and sadly loss of life. This is a situation that we deplored and strongly condemned because violence only breeds violence and never brings lasting peace,” he said.
The NECC’s Justice and Peace Commission had dispatched 202 election observers who covered more than 12,000 (39 percent) polling stations on Election Day.
“Regarding the counting and publication of the results by polling stations in accordance with article 113 of the Electoral Code; our observers noted that the operations generally began at 6 pm in the presence of members of the local polling commissions, scrutinizers as well as some observers and voters. In all the polling stations observed, the results for each candidate were made public. The public nature of the vote count allowed voters to identify with the announced results and they left generally satisfied from their polling stations. However, they expressed hope that they will also identify with the result published by the Constitutional Council and that nothing would be altered by the authorities in this process,” the prelate said.
Among those who listened to the Archbishop’s statement was the Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Chamberlain Nto’ou Ndong, and the City Mayor of Kumba, Gregory Mewanu, who warmly welcomed the Bishops of Cameroon to Kumba Diocese for their 49th seminar.
As the youngest Diocese in Cameroon, Kumba was hosting the event for the first time. Its Bishop, Mgr Agapitus Nfon, described it as a privilege receiving Bishops from the country’s 26 Dioceses.
The SDO expressed joy in hosting the Bishops in Meme Division, which he described as the former heart of the Anglophone Crisis that has now seen a 90 percent return to peace. He beseeched the prelates to continue praying that total peace returns to the Division.
“I am assured that after your departure from Kumba, Meme Division is going to be a land of peace, forgiveness, love and prosperity,” Mr Nto’ou Ndong said.
City Mayor Greg Mewanu thanked the Catholic Church for contributing to development in Kumba and the rest of Meme Division by opening seven secondary schools, four health facilities and other infrastructure.
He beseeched the Church to establish a technological University in Kumba to enhance skills and curb youth unemployment.
“This is necessary because Kumba is strategically central in the Southwest region. It hosts a young and dynamic population and such an institution will create opportunities to create youth unemployment. Technology will complement the existing academic institutions, fostering innovation, skills development and progress,” the Mayor said.
During the weeklong seminar, the Bishops held prayer and meditation sessions, visited sacred places and ongoing infrastructural projects in the diocese, including a gigantic Bishop’s House under construction.
The Kumba Diocese was created in 2016 as a break off from Buea. With 26 parishes, the Diocese covers Meme, Kupe Manenguba and Ndian Divisions of the Southwest region.
As the seminar concluded on January 10 with a Mass led by the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea HE Jose Avelino Bettencourt, Kumba may not host Cameroon’s Bishops again until after 26 years.
