Bishops Deny Supporting Biya as Suspicion Grows Over Unity Palace Visit

As Cameroon edges closer to the October 12 presidential election, suspicion has mounted over a visit of Roman Catholic Bishops to the Presidency, at a time when several other groupings have pledge support for long-serving President Paul Biya’s candidacy.

The clergy have however firmly denied being partisan and reiterated that they are committed to working with the government to ensure peace before, during and after the election.

“Our message is very simple: that the church, which follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, will continue to be at the service of justice, reconciliation and peace in our nation and in the world. The church itself is non-partisan but the church continues to serve the people of every country,” said His Grace Andrew Nkea, Archbishop of Bamenda and President of NECC.

The Bishops’ meeting, held on August 13 at Unity Palace, followed a pastoral letter from March 2025 that criticized the 2025 electoral process, raising questions about the Church’s role in the politically charged atmosphere.

Strategic Consultation at Unity Palace

In a statement released following the closed-door session, Bishop Sosthène Léopold Bayemi of the Diocese of Obala detailed their Unity Palace encounter.

He said seven bishops, accompanied by the NECC Secretary-General and members of the Permanent Council, visited the presidency on the invitation of the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh.

The Secretary-General highlighted the government’s commitment to transparent elections and called on political parties to prioritize peace over hate speech.

He also showcased major projects undertaken by Biya’s administration, linking them to the importance of stability.

In response, NECC President Archbishop Nkea expressed the bishops’ appreciation for the dialogue and emphasized the Church’s apolitical stance, focusing on peace, reconciliation, and prosperity beyond political divides.

The Bishops reiterated their desire for regular consultation frameworks with state authorities, signaling a willingness to engage constructively.

“…I think this is our main message that we have brought here today, that the church itself is not partisan. And it is even forbidden by the code of cannon law for priests and Bishops to belong to political parties but we are not indifferent to the political situation in our country. And that is why we have come here to see and discuss how to better the conditions of our people in this country and secondly to see how we can continue to work for peace before, during and after the election,” said Archbishop Nkea.

Talking about their role in the election, the Bishops of Cameroon have been far from passive concerning the country’s political climate prior to the election.

The Archbishop of Douala, His Grace Samuel Kleda last week issued a scathing critique of the Biya regime in a pastoral letter that even stated that the outcome of the upcoming election had already been “predetermined” by a few individuals.

He strongly criticised exploitation of citizens by government officials, and exposed ills like corruption, bad governance, rights abuses and brutality against the opposition.

His letter followed that of the Archbishop of Bafoussam who also made a stark critique of the government.

The Bishops have previously asked Cameroonians to vote wisely in the election as President Paul Biya, 92, seeks his eighth mandate.

The government is accused of cracking down on the opposition in a bid to grant Biya another victory.

On August 5, the Constitutional Council barred prominent opposition leader, Maurice Kamto from standing for the election, reinforcing an earlier decision from the elections management body ELECAM.

They cited submission of multiple candidacies by Kamto’s party, MANIDEM.

However, Kamto thinks this was all a regime maneuver to keep him out of the polls.