CAMEROON AT WAR WITH TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL (TI) OFFICIALS OVER VOTERS’ REGISTRATION

Wednesday, 17 August 2011 22:10

In what many are considering a rare scenario, Cameroon government administrative and security officials are engaged in acts of intimidating international observers monitoring the electoral process in Cameroon, another sign that the regime is up for a battle to perpetuate itself in Power.  The tense atmosphere in the country as Cameroonians prepare for the presidential elections is making the government more nervous as each day passes by.

According to reports filtering out into the public, officials of Transparency International (TI) the international organisation fighting against corruption where summons,  intimidated and threatened by Cameroon government administrative and security officials, following allegations that the  organisation was encouraging Cameroonians to register for the presidential elections through a phone-texting campaign.

The government claims the phone-texting campaign to encourage voters is in violation of some legal provisions. See full press release by Transparency International below:

PRESS RELEASE  Source: TI

Yaoundé, August 16, 2011 - Last few days, the attention of public opinion has been challenged by the fact that during the upcoming presidential election, Transparency International Cameroon (TI-C)

would have undertaken in violation of legal provisions, to make the registration of voters on the electoral lists by SMS. A statement from the regional delegate of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) for the Centre, extensively circulated since 11 August, marks his disapproval of the methods allegedly employed by our organization.

Transparency International Cameroon cautions that this message from ELECAM is further to a meeting held the day before, August 10 at 5 p.m., and chaired by the Secretary General of the Prime Minister, to which the President of TI-C was nimbly summoned by telephone call the same day at 2:25 p.m.

The quality of the personalities invited to the meeting was clear about the seriousness given to the situation: the Secretary of State for Defence in charge of the Gendarmerie, the Delegate General for National Security, the Director General of External Research (counter intelligence), the Secretary General of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, the Minister Delegate for External Relations in charge of the Commonwealth, representatives of the Governor of the Centre Region and the Mfoundi Division Officer.

Invited to provide explanations about the merits of its initiative to put banners on various streets of the cities of the country, inviting citizens to get registered by SMS on the electoral lists, Transparency International Cameroon, through the voice of its President and his Executive director, has not fail to note in advance the absence of any member of ELECAM in the conference room of the Prime Minister.

Representatives of TI-C were still undertaken to explain the grant contract signed with the European Union on July 28, 2011 consisted of monitoring and observation (before, during, afterwards) the poll for the election of the President of the Republic.

In actions to be taken under the awareness of citizens to vote, a decision was made to boost the voter registration before the fateful date of August 31, 2011. The process was, for any citizen eager to be registered as voter, to send an SMS to 8188 by simply indicating his name and his place of residence that TI-C was then to transmit to ELECAM so that by phone call, they indicate to the aforementioned citizen the registration center(s) closest to their residence.

The explanation of the responsible approach of TI-C did not convince the assistance gathered in the Prime ministry, more worried by issues of security, public order, suspicion of foreign interference and so-called lessons of patriotism and citizenship members of TI-C. Finally, order was given to TI-C to urgently withdraw the litigious banners, but in the night, to our regret, they were completely removed from the streets of the capital by unknown people.

Transparency International Cameroon points out that it is Cameronian law association, directed by Cameronians who are respectful of the laws of the Republic.

TI-C confirms that in the consolidation of the Rule of law in Cameroon, it will entirely fulfill its mission, as a civil society organization, consisting of improving the democratic process and the implementation of the principles of neutrality, impartiality, objectivity, transparency and honesty.

Transparency International Cameroon recognizes unequivocally that the body in charge of the elections in Cameroon is ELECAM.

TI-C affirms having consulted in accordance with its mandate, with members of ELECAM, well known and identifiable, well before the installation of banners.

We strongly reaffirm that ELECAM, born as a result of the consensus of all political actors, must be fully restored to its role, and that the Administration, nostalgic of the (outdated) past, should play no major role in the electoral process.

The campaign for the 2011 presidential election must be an opportunity for individual candidates, to make commitments on the issues of fight against corruption and the search for a new public governance, essential in democracy, and only able to restore public confidence in their institutions.