Prior to the upcoming presidential elections, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) is leaving no stone unturned in training and upgrading the capacity of its personnel on the organization and management of elections within the context of a pluralistic democracy.
Cynthia Efopa
The President of the Republic in his end of year speech to Cameroonians on the 31st May 2017 announced that, the year 2018 is a very important year because it will be marked by the organization of elections; senatorial, presidential and municipal. The senatorial elections that entered in to the annals of history since the 25th march 2018 was a complete achievement thanks to the professionalism of Elections Cameroon. However the success of that elections was not an opportunity for Elections Cameroon to sleep on its laureate since the upcoming presidential elections is even more challenging. Reasons why the independent electoral body deemed it necessary to train and upgrade the capacity of its personnel in organizing and managing elections in a pluralistic democratic context.
To judiciously manage resources at its disposal, the territorial units of ELECAM in the North West, South West, Littoral and West regions gathered in Douala, those of the Far North, North, Adamawa regions assembled in Garoua while the territorial units of the East, South and Center Regions met in Yaounde to acquired new skills on how to operate the electoral machines purchased by ELECAM. During the meeting, they were drilled on the modalities to groom electoral lists, to identify and localize polling stations, to manage election documents and materials, to manage polling stations, results and electoral disputes and the respect of the ethics and deontology of ELECAM. The reinforcement of relations with other stakeholders of the electoral process; administrative authorities, mix electoral commissions was also part of the teachings.
This training that comes at the eve of the organization of presidential elections in Cameroon is aimed at adapting the knowhow and the professional competences of ELECAMS personnel for they have the daunting task to organize, manage and steer equal, free and fair elections as prescribed by the electoral code.
The up-to-date electoral kits distributed to regional delegations have a storage capacity to enroll more than 200 persons per day, a battery autonomy of 16 hours and is lighter than the previous machines. Elections Cameroon is made up of 360 communal antennas, 56 divisional agencies and 10 regional delegations. For the upcoming presidential elections they envisaged more than 6.5 million electors, 26.000 polling stations, 58 divisional supervisory commissions and 360 sub-divisional supervisory commissions.
Cameroonians who are the lone people with the sovereign right to choose their leaders, first among whom is the one whose duty is to rule the country will once more through the ballot box have the opportunity to freely express their choice by electing whosoever they judge apt to guarantee their security and welfare.