Pope Leo XIV's visit to Cameroon, scheduled from April 15 to 18, 2026, is generating considerable controversy. While local authorities are busy preparing to welcome the pontiff, dissenting voices are rising from the opposition and civil society, fearing that the visit will indirectly legitimize the contested results of the last presidential election.
The Cameroonian diaspora fighting for change has expressed its deep concern in a public statement. They question the Pope's knowledge of the post-election crisis and the allegations of electoral fraud raised by opponent Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who claims victory. The diaspora is also concerned about the fate of those who disappeared or were murdered during the post-election unrest, as well as the human rights situation in Cameroon, marked by a high number of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.
Furthermore, the diaspora highlights the ongoing crisis in the Anglophone regions of the Northwest and Southwest, where the conflict has caused the death of thousands and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. They question the Pope about the unresolved assassinations of religious figures and journalists, as well as the lack of independent investigations.
The diaspora urges the Pope to demand the release of political prisoners and the opening of an inclusive national dialogue as preconditions for his visit. They fear that his presence will be interpreted as tacit support for the regime in power, risking deep disappointment among Cameroonians. Organizations such as the Council of Cameroonian Diaspora (CCD) and the Anti-Sardinards Brigade (BAS) have signed this statement.
Voices within the Cameroonian clergy, such as Father Ludovic Lado, have also expressed their opposition to this visit, fearing that it will serve to legitimize a contested power. The Archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Nkea Fuanya, on the other hand, has called for welcoming the Pope with joy, emphasizing his role as a messenger of peace and reconciliation.
Pope Leo XIV will make an apostolic visit to Cameroon from April 15 to 18, 2026, visiting Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda. This visit is part of an African tour that will also take him to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
