Cameroon religious leaders call for voter registration before 2025 elections

"Our country is on the brink of a pivotal moment in its history. The year 2025 will be dedicated to the presidential election. We urge all Catholic Christians and people of goodwill to engage and exercise their civic rights by registering to vote," Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea of Bamenda, president of Cameroon's National Episcopal Conference, said during his address at the 49th bishops’ plenary assembly of in Yaoundé in early April.

In his address, Archbishop Nkea encouraged Cameroonian citizens to "cast their votes conscientiously and effectively," representing bishops from Cameroon's 26 dioceses. This call has been echoed by several noted figures in society, across different age groups, all urging for widespread voter registration.

The youth, a significant segment of the population, are also contributing to this effort through several civic initiatives. This includes the "Youth 237" movement by students from Saint Jerome Catholic University in Douala. "Youth 237 is a student movement aimed at placing young Cameroonians at the heart of their country's overall life," said Watchman Sonkeng, president of the movement. Two months after its inception, the project's founders align their goals and missions with the upcoming electoral deadlines. "One of Youth 237's goals is to instill patriotic fervor in young Cameroonians, and another is the massive registration of youth on voter lists," said the young leader.

This vision is shared by Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala, who repeatedly encourages eligible Cameroonians to register to vote. "A presidential election is being prepared. We must be able to choose leaders capable of governing our country and meeting our aspirations. A well-governed country is one where everyone's rights are respected," he stated, culminating in a call to join the electoral register. "I once again invite Cameroonians to register to vote," said the Archbishop of Douala.

“We urge the public authorities to make elections transparent”

Beyond the call for mass registration by religious leaders, the bishops are also sounding the alarm for transparent elections. "We urge the public authorities to make elections transparent so that the people can see themselves in their choices," Archbishop Nkea said during his address at the plenary assembly. Echoing this, Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala too called for the elections to be conducted freely and transparently, emphasizing that, "These elections should be organized in such a way that everyone feels their rights as citizens are respected."

The Grand Imam Ndam Abdou also echoed the sentiment while leading the end of Ramadan prayer on April 10 "We urge the government to make elections transparent," the religious leader said while calling for widespread voter registration among Muslims. "Muslims should be the first to register to vote. Every day in the mosques, we urge Muslims to register if they want peace and to freely express their votes when the time comes," said the Grand Imam.

Cameroonian President Paul Biya, at 91, is the world's oldest national leader. He plans to seek re-election in the 2025 presidential race, which could prolong his tenure that began in 1982. Biya, who has also led his party since 1985, has already governed Cameroon for over 40 years.

The opposition is calling for Biya to step down, citing widespread corruption throughout his decades-long tenure in Cameroon, but Biya's party praises the long-standing leader for his achievements, which include building over 6,000 kilometers of roads, enhancing infrastructure by bringing electricity and water to numerous towns and villages, and constructing several hundred classrooms and hospitals across the country.

Moreover, since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1990, Biya's party claims he has been victorious in all presidential elections. However, the opposition contests these outcomes, alleging that past elections have been plagued by fraud.