October 12 poll: Bafoussam Bishop calls for respect of genuine will of citizens.

He called for transparency and fairness in the electoral process, insisting that the outcome of the polls must reflect the genuine will of the people. 

“…it is a question of the truth of the ballot box. It is this truth that the people are currently demanding by continuing to murmur,” Bishop Lontsie-Keune declared.

Drawing on moral and scriptural references, Bishop Lontsie-Keune praised citizens who “refused to be complicit in electoral fraud,” lauding their moral integrity and courage. 

“I congratulate all those who have despised banknotes in favour of the truth, which alone can set us free,” he said, citing John 8:32.

The bishop reminded citizens that the act of voting carries deep moral weight, rooted in human dignity bestowed by God. “Deliberately trampling on the will of citizens would constitute a serious violation of this dignity,” he warned.

The religious leader added that disregarding the people’s will is tantamount to denying them their right to participate freely in the democratic life of the nation.

His Lordship, Lontsie-Keune drummed responsibility among all stakeholders, insisting on the need for integrity.

“The law must prevail, of course, but this law must apply to all,” he stressed. Quoting Pope Leo XIII, he added that the “…lack of equity is the root of society’s ills”. True peace, he said, can only emerge from justice and truth.

He firmly denounced all forms of electoral fraud, violence and vandalism that have been recorded in some cities following the election.

“Violence, wherever it comes from, is not the proper way to build a country,” he said. The Bishop also warned against the destruction of property and intimidation of citizens.

The Bishop equally expressed dismay over reports of repression against citizens peacefully demanding electoral transparency, describing such actions as counterproductive.

“Can we hold a peace plant in one hand and in the other stuff the ballot boxes, falsify election reports, or corrupt voters and officials?” he asked. The Bishop also asked if people can brandish peace plants and destroy public property.

Bishop Lontsie-Keune, recalled the Church’s consistent efforts in promoting peace and moral integrity through various pilgrimages and peace-building initiatives in the Diocese of Bafoussam.

He warned that ignoring the people’s demand for truth risks sowing new seeds of unrest. 

“Prevention, he said, is better than cure, adding that: “It is better to address the causes of violence than to wait for them to erupt beyond control,” the prelate warned.

The Bishop shared the view that, citizens feel their right to vote has been disregarded. 

“Such feelings can lead some of our fellow citizens, who are no longer able to contain their frustrations, to react in a disorderly and regrettable manner,” he stated.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3602 of Wednesday October 22, 2025