The position and role of stakeholders in Cameroon’s electoral process was central during a U.N fact-finding mission to the North West on October 17 and 18, 2010. Tadjoudine Ali- Diabacte, Deputy Director, Electoral Assistance Division in the U.N department of political Affairs led the team that later retired from Bamenda with the hopes that Cameroon’s election management body, ELECAM, promotes dialogue and information to keep key actors updated about the electoral process to avoid misconceptions. The fact-finding mission that dropped curtains with prayers for peace at virtually each stop over took the team to the SDF opposition leader, Ni John Fru Ndi who featured the party’s 11 points as a condition for acceptable elections in Cameroon.

The Archbishop of the Bamenda Archdiocese; His Grace, Cornelius Fontem Esua told the visiting U.N team about the church’s commitment in grooming good citizens through education. He said the Catholic Church is very involved in Cameroon’s democratic process, vocal and insistent on the need for the elections management body to exercise neutrality. The Archbishop did not mince words when he said “ELECAM has a difficult job found between two fires and they have to work to improve their credibility”. His Grace, Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua said Cameroon is blessed with inhabitants who very understanding while the Church continues to preach peace and tolerance. To hear the Minister of the church, “As a church we think it is absolutely important to register on electoral registers and vote to promote democracy” Away from him, Rev. Donald Ndichafah, General Secretary of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, (CBC) told the team about the need for ELECAM to exercise credibility to excite the population towards elections while the Imam of the Bamenda Central Mosque, Alhadji Shuaibu Baban said he had instructed Imams in the entire Region to pray for peace to reign ahead of elections in Cameroon. The visiting team leader, Tadjoudine Ali- Diabacte later told the press that they were in Cameroon on the request of the government to size up the situation on the field with the U.N committed to support free and credible elections in Cameroon. Their outing in the North West was to have another view of the process in the grassroots. The team leader was accompanied by Simon- Pierre Nanitelamio.