Visiting Chadian officials seek ELECAM’s experience.

The close to one hour meeting was presided over by the Chairperson of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Dr Enow Abrams Egbe. 

Also present was the Director General of Elections at ELECAM, Dr Erik Essousse, as well as other senior officials of the institution.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the session, the Second Deputy Rapporteur of the Agence Nationale de Gestion des Election of Chad, Prof Ousmane Koudangbé Houzibé, noted that they came to learn from ELECAM’s experience.

“We were dispatched to Elections Cameroon to learn from its experience in the field of couple elections,” Prof Ousmane said, adding that: “Chad plans to organise local elections, that is: Legislatives, Provincials and Municipals. The elections are scheduled for December 29, 2024”. 

He said they plan to use the knowledge gained in better managing elections in Chad. 

At the end of the first day of exchanges, Prof Ousmane said they have discovered that ELECAM is properly organised with experience dating back to 1992, whereas Chad had its first democratic election in 1996.

The difference of four years, Prof Ousmane said, makes ELECAM more experienced. He said as at yesterday, he and his delegation had taken note of novelties they need to “reinforce electoral matters in the organisation of all forms of elections” in Chad.

The experience from ELECAM, he added, will enable them identify shortcomings and strengthen the Chadian electoral system.

The December elections, he noted, will be held after the demise of Chad’s former President, Field Marshal Idriss Deby Itno, in April 2021. Prof Ousmane remarked that: “Chad is entering a phase of transition and return to constitutional order…”.

Prof Ousmane went on to highlight that “in the past, we have had what is known as the Agence Nationale de Gestion des Elections, but as a result of our discussions to set up permanent democratic institutions, it was decided in law 002/2024, to set up a body called the Agence Nationale de Gestion des Election”.

The institution, Prof Ousmane said, is somehow similar to ELECAM, as its members have a mandate.

He noted that on May 6, 2024, the body organised the presidential elections in Chad, which went well. 

“It was a good idea to learn from the experience of Cameroon. We picked two countries; we went to Mauritania and here we are in Cameroon,” he disclosed, adding that “we hope that we will take the right steps to strengthen our electoral process”.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3240 of Wednesday September 25, 2024