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SDF DECLARATION
ON THE REGISTRATION OF VOTERS IN CAMEROON
Elections in Cameroon have always been marred by
massive fraud. This is because the CPDM party, which
has been one of the competing political parties,
organises the elections itself through MINAT and its
agents in the field – the Governors, Senior Divisional
Officers and Divisional Officers. These administrative
authorities always think that, since they act under
the authority of the Head of State, they have to
protect his interests by ensuring victory for his
party, the CPDM. To achieve this, they behave like
people who are above the law in their territory of
command. Indeed, even the Head of State they act for,
agrees that the administrators maintain a rather
authoritarian attitude and do not serve the interest
of the people in the field.
One of the principal causes of the failure of
elections in Cameroon has been the registration of
voters. Again, we are told by the Head of State that
these deficiencies are due to archaic methods of
population identification, which must be absolutely
modernised. This modernisation involves the
computerisation of the electoral process (electoral
lists, polling stations, etc.), to rationalise among
other things, the registration of voters. However, the
SDF notes that for such computerisation to succeed, a
neutral body should do the registration and
computerisation process because, those who cause chaos
using manual processes can also cause chaos using
computerised processes. The computer is only as good
as the information you feed into it!
Of recent, S.D.Os and D.Os in various
administrative units of the country have been inviting
SDF and other party representatives to another round
of the registration process! The SDF regrets that this
is happening when nothing has so far been done about
"the authoritarian attitude" of the administration and
the "archaic methods of population identification"
which the Head of State identified as ills of the
democratic system in his New Year speech.
The SDF recalls that in the build up to the 30 June
2002 twin elections that were marred by the massive
fraud orchestrated by the administrative authorities,
the National Elections Observatory (NEO) was only
created and its members appointed in the central and
decentralised services after the registration process
had virtually come to an end, so they played no role
in the process. This time around, at the time that by
law the mandate of the present members of NEO has come
to an end, here again are administrative officers
gearing up to start another round of the registration
of voters!
The SDF notes that NEO was created to ensure the
regularity, impartiality, objectivity and transparency
of the electoral process in Cameroon. Since the
administrative authorities are openly partisan in the
field, it is necessary that, since the CPDM regime has
refused to create an independent electoral commission,
the registration of voters be done by NEO, or at
least, with their active participation. However, the
SDF notes that the fraud and violation of the
electoral law reached unprecedented heights during the
30 June twin elections that had NEO agents in the
field. This was due to the lack of authority and
autonomy of the Observatory. Consequently, the SDF
adds its voice to the calls for NEO to be given
adequate authority and the financial clout and
autonomy to handle the entire electoral process in
Cameroon. This will require making the structure
permanent.
The administrative authorities, like in the past, may
be in the process of instituting chaos in the
electoral registers to blindfold those who are
counting on the computerisation of the electoral
process as a corrective to past fraud. Consequently,
while we wait for appropriate measures, the SDF
directs its officials and indeed, all its militants to
follow-up very closely the activities of the
administrative authorities in the field in relation to
voter registration. The SDF calls on all its militants
and sympathisers to ensure that this time around,
their right of having their names in the electoral
registers is respected.
Finally, since the results of the on-going population
census in Cameroon will affect many aspects of life in
Cameroon, including elections, the SDF calls on all
its militants and sympathisers to participate actively
in the census process. They should maintain a high
degree of vigilance to ensure that the corruption and
tribalism of the CPDM regime do not distort the
outcome of the important exercise.
Bamenda, February 8, 2003
NI John FRU NDI
National Chairman
The end
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