By Andrew Nsoseka
The Southwest Regional Delegate of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, Zofoa Njoya Sake, warmly welcomed a delegation from the British High Commission in Yaounde recently. The delegation, led by Ms. Lisa Jennians, Second Secretary Political, was briefed on ELECAM’s preparations for the upcoming presidential election amid challenges including insecurity and logistical difficulties.
In his opening remarks, Sake expressed deep appreciation for the British High Commission’s longstanding partnership with ELECAM, particularly in capacity-building initiatives. He highlighted the Commission’s collaboration with the United Nations in organising key workshops, including those focused on increasing women’s participation in elections and enhancing electoral integrity. He emphasised that the visit demonstrated the importance the British government places on democratic processes in Cameroon and acknowledged the critical role of international support in ensuring credible elections.
The Regional Delegate provided a detailed overview of ELECAM’s ongoing activities since the official convening of electors on July 11, 2025. He reported that voter registration had exceeded expectations, with a total of 37,701 voters enrolled in the Southwest Region—surpassing the initial target of 30,000. The breakdown includes 23,554 men, 14,147 women, and 71 persons with disabilities, reflecting efforts toward inclusivity.
To improve efficiency, he revealed that ELECAM has deployed 74 new G3 biometric registration kits, which have significantly reduced wait times and enhanced the accuracy of voter data. However, despite these advancements, logistical and security challenges persist. The region’s poor road networks, particularly during the rainy season, have made transporting election materials to remote areas extremely difficult. Sake revealed that in Ndian Division, for instance, reliance on costly maritime transport has further complicated operations, with risks of pirate attacks adding another layer of insecurity.
Sake observed that ELECAM operates through six divisional and 31 council branches, but some offices remain in poor condition due to vandalism by separatist fighters. Several branches have been forced to relocate to rented spaces, but, still, they face other challenges as landlords hesitate to lease properties to the institution over security fears. He also revealed to the visiting delegation that plans are underway to construct a new regional office following the recent acquisition of land, but immediate solutions are needed to ensure smooth election operations.
The Southwest ELECAM boss maintained that security remains a top priority, as he appealed for increased protection for staff, voters, and election materials. He acknowledged the administration’s efforts so far but stressed the need for reinforced measures, particularly in high-risk areas where separatist activity and criminal attacks threaten the electoral process.
Delegate Calls On Voters To Collect Cards
In a related message to voters, the Delegate appealed to voters to turn up and collect their cards in accordance with Section 84(3) of the electoral code, so that they can participate in the electoral process. He revealed that so far, 40 percent of the registered voters in the region have collected their cards, and they expect many more to come for theirs soon. Asked whether the 40 percent is not low, he said it is not, given that they were supposed to start sharing the cards much later, but have started doing so because of the unique insecurity problem the region faces.
Statistics obtained by The Post from ELECAM Southwest show that they exceeded their target voter registration by over 25 percent as the figure shows 125.6 percent. Fako tops other Divisions in the number of registered voters, followed by Ndian, Meme, Manyu, Lebialem, and Kupe Muanenguba on the last spot.
When it comes to voter cards distribution, as of July 30, Ndian leads, followed by Lebialem, Kupe Muanenguba, Manyu, Meme and Fako.