A rich country rendered poor by decades-long mismanagement, Cameroon is facing a presidential election on Oct. 12, and leaders of the Catholic Church have emerged as vocal opponents of the status quo.
A 92-year-old incumbent, Paul Biya, is seeking reelection in the Central African country of 30 million where the median age is 19. A Catholic whose father was a catechist, Biya came to power as prime minister in 1975 — 50 years ago. He was elected president in 1982, a post he has held ever since. If the country were well governed, that might be fine. But it’s not.
Endemic corruption and outright embezzlement are ruinous habits of the political class, undermining the entire nation’s standard of living, according to the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) in a fierce January letter signed by all 36 bishops.
Yet, what I witnessed in the country’s largest city, Douala, Central Africa’s most important port, was an extraordinary community of faith signified by prophetic leadership, thriving parishes.
