October 12 poll: No peace without justice!.

A series of seminars have also been held to school reporters on "peace journalism" during this election period.

President Biya has, in his recent social media postings and past speeches, accentuated the essence of peace as the foundation of his political action, often calling for the prioritisation of dialogue and negotiation in the face of tensions.

"Our ideal of peace indeed inclines us to favor consultation or negotiation," declared President Paul Biya in one of his quotes, reaffirming the guiding principle of his "experience" in power.

It is peace which, he, like others, yearn for stability as a guarantee of development. His statement could also be seen as an outstretched hand in the face of calls for political reforms in the context of the 2025 presidential election.

This election, whether it brings a new term or a transition, as pointed out by a diplomatic security pundit, "risks the stability Cameroon’s external partners have become accustomed to. It could increase ethnic or regional tensions arising from prolonged marginalisation. It could also begin a transition process that could take time to consolidate, allowing space for instability, including more armed conflict".

That should explain the hysteria for peace. When Hon Cavaye opened the last session of the National Assembly, he said the presidential election "arouses much enthusiasm across the country and even beyond. In the face of this effervescence…we must do everything, each in his own way, to make the presidential election unfold in peace and serenity". 

But why is the throttle being pressed on the eve of a presidential election?

Reading through the various speech and the national mood, peace crusader, Nico Halle, has rightly said: "Peace in Cameroon today is fragile, it is distorted and has been compromised"

It is so because in the words of the Apostolic Nuncio José Avelino Bettencourt during the Eucharistic celebration at Saint Joseph Cathedral in the Diocese of Bafoussam last month, he said: “Let us stop all obstacles to peace”.

History and empirical research have established in Rodrick Henry's book, “Why Electoral Violence Persists in Africa”, that "violence is a persistent phenomenon". It is violence which dilutes peace because there is a vacuum of justice.

For Bishop of the Diocese of Bafoussam, Mgr Lontsie Keune, in a recent statement, said: "Injustice can never bring peace, electoral fraud can never bring peace, the rights violation can never bring peace, fear can never bring peace, the absence of alternation prepares the bed for future conflicts and not for peace”.

Everybody is talking of peace, ironically no one is advocating for justice. Is the electoral process from registration, voting, counting and compilation of votes just?

Was the process to screen candidates glossed with justice when two candidates submitted their candidacy files on the ticket of the ruling party and one was retained while MANIDEN had two and both were disqualified?

Why will the announcement of results take two weeks when those in other countries like Senegal, Gabon etc take some two days to avoid triggering suspicion of manipulation with the result?

Peace does not just come with prayers and honey coated political rhetorics or repression.

As the Bishop of Bafoussam has said: "Injustice can never bring peace; electoral fraud can never bring peace, the rights violation can never bring peace, fear can never bring peace, the absence of alternation prepares the bed for future conflicts and not for peace,”

The Bible book of Zechariah 8:12 teaches that “there shall be a sowing of peace” which is the primary goal of establishing a just, compassionate, safe environment for all.

And to plant that and nurture the seed of justice, to push the analogy a little further, the ground for that seed must be tilled and levelled by the government.

Elections Cameroon and the Constitutional Council should be the seed of justice needed for peace to reign during the election period and beyond.

At the moment they have not demonstrated trust in the electorate, based on reports assessing their performances in the   media with compromising slogans like "hands tied".

The Guardian Post understands why Frederick Douglass, an American reformer reminds us that: “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will”.

We are also aware that demands from those experiencing injustice naturally disrupt the peace, not necessarily the absence of violence, while they seek to establish a positive peace rooted in justice.     

But the government does not need Cameroonians to continue to demand justice with their blood during peaceful protests or incarceration for daring to exercise their freedom to prevent rigging which is a trigger to violence at all price. It is a concept of fairness and stability, based on the slogan of "no justice no peace".

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3551 of Monday September 01, 2025