The election governing body says teams will be sent to the field for the process to be effective.

“Let me assure Cameroonians that we would go closer to the people as much as possible,” the Board Chair of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), Samuel Fonkam Azu’u said yesterday March 14, 2012 in Yaounde. He made the pronouncement during a press conference ahead of the holding of the first statutory meeting of ELECAM for the year after an extraordinary one held last month.

He revealed that for the biometric compilation of the voters’ list to be effective, there was need for the body to deploy mobile teams to the field when the process begins. He said there will be fixed points as usual at ELECAM headquarters but there will also be mobile teams to go towards potential voters in villages, neighbourhoods and polling stations. “Those are the guidelines that the Directorate General of elections has given,” Fonkam Azu’u underlined. “We intend to do this because we realised that if we remain at our headquarters and at the level of council branch offices, the exercise will not be effective,” he further explained.

Members of ELECAM are also expected on the field sometime next month for discussions with other stakeholders on the electoral process, especially the requirement of voters’ list. The field tour, Fonkam Azu’u said, was a legal prescription which permits them to get in contact with stakeholders of the electoral process. “If it is possible for us to go to sub-divisions, we will do it so as to work closely with players at all levels and also exchange views. It will also be an opportunity for us to inform them on the evolution of things pertaining to elections and to, in turn, gather their views and preoccupations,” Fonkam Azu’u explained.

Another issue raised was the recent consultation with stakeholders on the upcoming elections. “It wasn’t a monologue and we did not call them to tell them things without listening to them talk,” Fonkam Azu’u said. Stakeholders presented requests with some, asking for the single ballot and two round elections. He revealed that plans are underway to replace the indelible ink that has been put into use in previous elections so as to avoid other criticisms.

Yesterday’s session was also to assess and suggest proposals for a service provider for biometric equipment.