The National Consultation Forum holding in Yaounde on Thursday, July 11 is an occasion to strengthen synergy. Preparations for hitch-free, transparent, fair, credible and accepted September 30, 2013 municipal council and legislative elections enter a decisive phase today, July 11, 2013 as the various actors will consult and harmonise strategies. The elections and referenda institution in the country, Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, in respect of the Electoral Code has summoned today’s fourth consultation forum at the Yaounde Conference Centre to take place on the theme, “Evaluation of the biometric recompilation of voter’s registers and preparations for the legislative and municipal elections.”

Electoral stakeholders whose representatives meet for the National Consultation Forum include the administration, judiciary, legalised political parties and invited civil society organisations. The forum comes at a critical moment in the electoral process, considering that political parties willing to take part in the elections are currently nominating their candidates. ELECAM is finalizing the printing and championing the distribution of voter cards, intensifying material preparation. 

Civil society organizations are expected to intensify advocacy in favour of the respect of international instruments in getting more women to executive and decision-making positions. The advocacy directed to political parties and the elections managing institution targets the increase in number of women in the National Assembly and municipal councils.

Actors in the electoral process need to be once more reminded of their roles in each phase of the process. The final communiqué of today’s forum as in previous consultations will certainly state the code of conduct and commitment of actors to ensure success. The law states that the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation serves as the link between government and Elections Cameroon. The provision of security, law and order and other facilitation activities are incumbent on the administration.

The judiciary is deeply involved in the process considering that Divisional Supervisory Commissions responsible for ensuring the smooth conduct of election preparations and election operations  proper  are chaired by “ the President of the High Court with territorial jurisdiction”, Section 64 (1) of the Electoral Code specifies. The National Commission for the Final Counting of Votes following Section 68 (1) of the Electoral Code is chaired by a member of the Constitutional Council, and two Judicial Officers serving as members appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Political parties, besides presenting candidates has to mobilize potential voters to collect their cards. Civil society organizations also have to join the mobilization bandwagon and prepare observers to monitor the process.