Voter Registration Launch Announcement Imminent

"This is a very crucial week for Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) as the launching of the biometric recompilation of the electoral register is imminent," the Head of Division for Communication and Public Relations in ELECAM, Marie Rose Nzié told Cameroon Tribune, September 24 in Yaounde. Following previous press declarations by the Director General of Elections in ELECAM, Mohaman Sani Tanimou, re-echoed in many fora by other senior officials of the institution, biometric recompilation of the electoral register in Cameroon will begin by the end of this September. Meticulous preparations for the exercise are going on at the head of office of ELECAM in Yaounde as well on the field.

Start of Registration

The Head of Division for Communication and Public Relations, Marie Rose Nzié revealed that the exercise will start as soon as the Director General of Elections makes public the decision that will more importantly spell out registration modalities. Without stating the date, she said the decision is imminent.

Training ahead of Registration

Marie Rose Nzié said the training is both internal and external. She said the training of the supervisors of the registration exercise took place in Yaounde. That of the training of trainers took place in Bamenda for the English-speaking regions of the country and Mbalmayo for the French-speaking regions. The training of the operators of the electoral kits has already taken place at the 10 Regional headquarters. The training of the 2,400 operators for the 1,200 electoral kits to be used to register voters is being rounded off nationwide. She equally said the training of computer bureau heads to intervene at different levels of the exercise as well as Elections Cameroon field staff are being rounded off.

Arrival of Electoral Kits

The Project Manager of the German Giesecke und Devrient company that won the contract to do the biometric recompilation of the electoral register, Andreas Walther announced on September 10 that 50 electoral kits were already in Cameroon and that 200 more kits would arrive this month. Speaking during the opening of the training of trainers workshop in Mbalmayo, he equally announced that the remaining 950 electoral kits will arrive next month. Marie Rose Nzié without stating the number of kits to arrive this month and the precise date for their arrival, confirmed that the kits are expected.

Mobilisation for Registration

The Head of Division for Communication and Public Relations in ELECAM said that shortly after publishing the decision spelling out the modalities for the biometric recompilation of the electoral register, the Director General of Elections, Mohaman Sani Tanimou will give a press conference. ELECAM will equally organise consultation sessions with targeted elections stakeholders such as political parties, administration and civil society organizations on their respective roles for the success of the exercise.