Ahead of election: UN approves ELECAM’s request for technical support.

The information is contained in a letter signed recently by the UN Under-Secretary General for Political and Peace building Affairs and Coordinator of United Nations Electoral Assistance Activities, Rosemary A. DiCarlo. 

The letter was addressed to the Chairperson of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Dr Enow Abrams Egbe.

DiCarlo in her letter outlined the UN’s commitment to deploying a Needs Assessment Mission, NAM, to evaluate and provide the necessary assistance to the country as it prepares for upcoming elections in 2025 and 2026.

“I am informing you of my decision to deploy a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) in response to your request for UN technical support for the elections scheduled for 2025-2026,” DiCarlo stated in the letter.

Political analysts have saluted the decision by ELECAM which is an institution tasked with overseeing the organisation and supervision of elections in the country to sought international. 

They say the move shows ELECAM’s resolve to ensure elections are transparent, credible to the satisfaction of all stakeholders in the electoral process.

According to the electoral calendar, the country is set to have four major elections between 2025 and 2026. 

This will start with the presidential and regional elections expected to hold in2025, followed by legislative and municipal elections in 2026. 

The election, officials said will once again be an opportunity to test the capacity of ELECAM in the organisation of free and fair election as well as the resilience of country’s democratic processes and institutions.

To note that, one of the issues that have come up repeatedly as the country looks forward to the elections is the production of voters  cards. ELECAM had blamed a stop in production on the state of its machines but recently assured citizens that the process was going to be re-launched this month.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3259 of Monday October 14, 2024