The Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC) has formally denied seeking an audience with Pope Leo XVI during his scheduled visit to Cameroon from April 15 to 18, 2026.
Contrary to information relayed by a statement circulating online, the MRC has not taken steps to meet with the pontiff. The party, led by Maurice Kamto, has called this information "fake news" on its Meta page, adding the mention "Cabinet noir".
The document in question attributed to the MRC the intention to share with the Pope its concerns regarding the socio-political situation in Cameroon and to present its vision for lasting national reconciliation. Following this denial, the MRC has not yet communicated its official position regarding the visit of Pope Leo XVI.
Pope Leo XVI will visit Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda, the regional capital of the North-West, an area facing the Anglophone crisis. This visit is part of a broader African tour that will take the Pope to Algeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
The Pope's visit to Cameroon is part of a tradition of papal visits aimed at addressing social and political tensions. Previous papal visits to Cameroon were those of John Paul II in 1985 and 1995, and Benedict XVI in 2009.
The arrival of Pope Leo XIV has aroused mixed reactions in Cameroon, with some fearing political instrumentalization of the event. Voices have been raised calling on the Pope not to endorse a contested regime and to be attentive to the human rights situation in the country.
Despite these controversies, the visit of Pope Leo XVI is maintained, highlighting the importance of Cameroon for the Vatican and the role of the Catholic Church in the country.
Pope Leo XIV is the third sovereign pontiff to visit Cameroon, after the visits of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
