Who, even in the wildest dreams of pessimists, could imagine that under one month to the date of the Presidential election, it would be « business as usual » as is being observed across the national territory?

Cameroon’s political organisation is coming from a long period during which opposing political forces were virtually at daggers-drawn with each suspecting the other. After years of feet-dragging and mutual suspicion over an across-the-board acceptable formula for the organisation of credible elections, (having gone through the ministry of Territorial Administration and the National Election’s Observatory along the line), here we were, finally with Elections Cameroon! Elections Cameroon, in government’s reckoning was a response to the exigencies of the civil society and international partners wont on seeing an independent body accepted by all across the political divide. The international community expressed its feelings, though not very noisily, somehow in response to president Paul Biya’s unequivocal “no” to any suggestion as to the setting up of an independent electoral commission à la what was being put in place in a number of other countries at the time, such as Benin, Zaire, Togo and the like.

On December 19, 2006, significantly on the same date, but 17 years after the adoption of the liberty laws of December 1990, the National Assembly adopted the law on the creation, organisation, and functioning of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM. Members of the Social Democratic Front quit the hall as the bill was being debated and would not stand a sheer mention of it as an independent election management body. Diplomatic sources and several NGOs also expressed reservations with their onus being the fact that the high representation of former members of the ruling CPDM – their formal resignation from the party not withstanding – did not necessarily augur well for fair arbitration. These reactions came after December 30, 2008 when the President of the Republic formally appointed the 12 members of the Electoral Board of ELECAM. The following day, December 31, the appointment of the Director General of Elections and his deputy did not assuage apprehensions. Rather, such fears continued to be entertained and ELECAM virtually suspected all along, even if Samuel Fonkam Azu’u, its chair, continued to reassure citizens of his body’s independence and autonomy.

Certainly sensitive to the numerous calls to improve on electoral management system, the government yielded to across-the-board calls from political parties, NGOs and international partners. In April this year, the government caused the holding of an extraordinary session of the National Assembly during which the ELECAM bill was reviewed with the main aim of extending its membership from 12 to 18 so as to accommodate those from backgrounds other than those suspected to be in support of government. The bill sailed through, taking membership up to 18 and inaugurating a new socio-political composition.

The acrimonious attacks on ELECAM have subsided. And much so, significantly, in the electoral process which is already on. Of note is the fact that several political actors, extremely critical of this body in the past, have, rather, commended the work of ELECAM so far.

Since the formal convening of the electorate last August 30 and the subsequent reception and screening of candidacies for the position of president of the Republic, things seem to have gone on rather well. So far, ELECAM has carried out its duties rather creditably. One can say so far it has been good. And the wish of all the actors in the electoral process is that ELECAM should continue to work as it has done so far so as to continue to deserve the trust of the electorate.