Archbishop Samuel Kleda Misreads The Cameroon Election

Before today's presidential election, Archbishop Kleda of the Douala archdiocese sent out a pastoral letter praying for peace before, during, and after the election. It was right for the letter to call for peace in the country, given that the country is on the verge of sliding into the kind of anarchy that has characterized many African countries. In the letter, the archbishop correctly diagnosed the situation in the country as one characterized by hopelessness, especially for many young people who have been forced by the Biya regime to eke out a living on the margins of society. The archbishop was, however, completely wrong in his hope that this elect might produce a leadership that is different from the one that has dumped the country in the gutter for 29 years now. In fact, his description of this election as democratic marks a profound misunderstanding of what is going on in Cameroon. The archbishop should have known that this election cannot be described as democratic by any stretch of the imagination - considering the various forms of manipulation which Biya has instigated up to this point. The archbishop is himself an astute politician. The fact that he decided to describe this election as democratic, even though he goes on to describe the hopeless situation of the Cameroonian youth, seems to suggest that he wants to be on the side of both the government in power and the impoverished people at the same time. As a pastor who has been listening to his people, the archbishop should have known that his people do not believe that this election is democratic. The election does not give any room for dialogue because the "dialogue" that took place was already skewed in favor of Biya. People of God are expected to tell the truth, especially when it comes to weighty matters of national life, like the one Cameroon has been experiencing. The fact that the archbishop appeared to give the impression that a better leadership may come from this election is quite misleading. A better reaction to this sham of an election in the country is denunciation. To correctly describe the dire situation of the country and then go ahead to endorse this sham election is to elect to be on the side of power. And too often the church in Cameroon has been on the side of power. The church has contributed in keeping Biya in power for 29 years.