Delegation of ELECAM on a board meeting
By Yerima Kini Nsom
A delegation of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, is doing the finishing touches in Cameroonian diplomatic missions abroad to ensure that Cameroonians in the Diaspora massively participate in choosing a new President of the Republic on October 12.
While underlining the importance of such a mission during a board meeting in Yaounde last weekend, the Chair of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Dr. Enow Abrams Egbe, said the delegation of ELECAM officials are abroad to ensure the smooth management of the election in Cameroonian diplomatic missions abroad till September 23.
It was in tandem with this assignment that the meeting adopted the terms of reference of the ELECAM mission to the Diaspora. Among other issues, the ELECAM boss said the objective of the mission is to follow-up, control and verify the electoral material that the Directorate General of Elections sent to the 44 Cameroonian diplomatic and consular services abroad recently. The ELECAM officials, he went on, will equally supervise the capacity building sessions of ELECAM focal points as well as presidents of the various electoral commissions in the Diaspora.
During last Friday’s meeting, which was the 6th session As Of Right of the Electoral Board, members adopted the recommendations made by the Electoral Board members after their field visit from August 27 to September 6. Given that time is gradually slimming down to the launch of campaigns, Enow Egbe said the session gave them an opportunity to fine tune every aspect of the electoral process to ensure that everything goes on well on October 12.
Dr. Enow said democracy is not a destination, but a journey that needs to be constantly fed and protected. He said the organisation of the election is a huge challenge and at the same time an opportunity for them to consolidate the country’s democratic achievements and boost the confidence of citizens in the electoral process. He urged all the stakeholders to pursue what he called a republican commitment in unison, vigilance, responsibility, determination and patriotism.
While lauding the massive participation of the various stakeholders at the national consultation forum that took place in Yaounde on September 11, the ELECAM boss expressed optimism that the upcoming election will be transparent, credible, peaceful and inclusive.
Hear him: “By voicing their concerns and sharing perspectives, the political parties, civil society, state institutions, traditional rulers, the media and our institutional partners contributed constructive ideas and fruitful proposals. They demonstrated a shared commitment to ensuring that the upcoming presidential election is credible, inclusive, transparent and peaceful.”