Cameroon Electoral code: Opposition Political Parties Unite To Propose Reforms

-But CPDM says proposal that doesn’t pass through Parliament would just be “logorrhea and phantasmagoria”.

Leaders of some opposition political parties have set up a technical secretariat aimed at collecting proposals from other political parties, members of the civil society organisations and other personalities on possible areas that could be reformed in the country’s ‘contentious’ electoral code.

The news is contained in a release issued Friday 31 March 2021. Signatories of the release include Osih Joshua of the SDF, Prof Maurice Kamto of CRM, Cabral Libii of PCRN, Tomaino Ndam Njoya of UDC, Hillaire Zipang of Progressive Movement, Kwemo Pierre of UMS, and Prince Ekosso of USDP party.

The meeting between the said party leaders held in camera. A press conference that was scheduled same day in the afternoon to announce the setting up of the technical secretariat was reportedly disrupted by security elements.

The members of the opposition in their release noted that the move is conscious of the existence of a series of disagreements in the current electoral code, as well as some obsolete provisions, contradictions, some legal vacuums, which create an obstacle to fully exercise a fundamental right, the right to vote, and eventually a peaceful and democratic political change.

They pledged to work together within an inclusive republican framework, with all the parties involved in the democratic process in order to establish a new or amended electoral code that would be accepted and shared by all which will guarantee for a credible, fair, equitable, transparent and peaceful democratic process for the stability and prosperity of the country.

Other political parties, organisations or personalities of the civil society wishing to participate in this dynamism of working together were urged to drop their proposals through the Technical Secretariat charged with receiving for the purpose of exploitations latest 15 April 2021.

Appeals for reforms of the electoral code to make a level playing ground between the opposition and the ruling CPDM has been the main concerns of the SDF and CRM parties over the years. 

One of the reasons that was advanced by the Kamto-led CRM in their gigantic nationwide protest to oust Biya was the latter’s decision to convene the polls for the first-ever regional elections without reforms on the electoral code.  

Keen observers of the political landscape believe possible proposals that would be made in line with reforms would be that related to introduction of a single ballot system, two round voting system, introduction of biometric voting to reduce fraud, removal of administrative authorities in the process among others. 

Reacting to the outing of the opposition parties, the ruling CPDM through its Central Committee Communication Secretary, Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo has said reforms on the electoral system can only be made by political parties represented in Parliament by submitting a bill to be examined and voted by two third majority of the Lower and Uppers Houses. 

“It is not simply a matter of collecting suggestions and exploiting them,” Fame Ndongo stated in the party release. He added that: “Contributions from the political parties, organisations or personalities of civil society and operated by an ad hoc technical secretariat cannot under the laws and regulations of the Republic, be adopted in the streets, or by a conclave nestled in the nebulous evanescence of certain fertile imaginations, but by Parliament”. 

The CPDM Political Bureau Member said anything else done without following the procedure for bills to be tabbed in Parliament “would be just logorrhea and phantasmagoria”. 

By Doh Bertrand Nua