ELECAM pledges to address voter registration hurdles.

Erik Essousse: Director General of ELECAM

Elections management body, Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, has assured the public that difficulties experienced with voter registration are being addressed and well under control. 



The Director General of Elections at ELECAM, Dr Erik Essousse, made the pledge in an interview he granted to the national bilingual daily, Cameroon Tribune

His outing followed scathing criticisms and accusations by the National President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC, Prof Maurice Kamto, that the body is manipulating figures and violating certain provisions of the Electoral Code.

Dr Essousse in the interview, disclosed that those who have registered or will be registering this year will be able to take possession of their cards well before the electorate is convened for this year's presidential election. 

He added that those who have not collected their voter’s card will be able to find it at the polling stations in accordance with the law, hence they will be able to vote when the time comes.

“The new electoral card printer has been operational for a few weeks now, and the production of electoral cards is proceeding methodically at the National Electoral Biometrics Centre. They will be distributed as soon as possible, since they need to be packaged for dispatch to ELECAM's local offices and to Cameroon's diplomatic missions and consular posts abroad,” Dr Essousse explained.

 

Stresses on intensive cooperation with media

Speaking on ELECAM’s strategies to attain its objectives of reaching and even surpassing the symbolic threshold of eight million voters in the country, he pointed out that the institution plans to intensify collaboration with the media.

“We are inviting the media to contact Elections Cameroon to obtain the right electoral information. Our strategy is based primarily on communication campaigns and intensive awareness-raising among target groups,” he underscored.

 

Reiterates call to public, diaspora to massively enroll on voter’s register

Dr Essousse further invited young people, women, people with disabilities, Cameroonians in the diaspora as well as minority groups to register more on the electoral roll.

“At this level, the same measures have been taken for our compatriots abroad as at national level. This is an opportunity for us to invite them to approach ELECAM focal points in diplomatic missions and consular posts to register. We also call on political parties and civil society organisations to step up their public awareness campaigns,” he stated.

According to Dr Essousse, ELECAM is working in strict compliance with the law as all the stakeholders are involved in expanding the electoral roll.

“The law provides for joint electoral commissions comprising ELECAM, the administration, political parties and civil society at the level of each local authority. We don't work in a vacuum. We are also making sure that we have a credible file,” he added.

According to statistics from ELECAM, 4,207,957 men and 3,637,665 women were registered on the electoral roll, as at December 30, 2024; with 26,800 people registered in the diaspora. Of the total number of voters, 2,607,321 are young people aged 20 to 35 while 33,985 are people living with disabilities.

 

 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3338 of Tuesday January 14, 2025

 

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