Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) will today, October 3, 2012, in Councils in Cameroon's ten regional headquarters and other special councils, launch the recompilation of the electoral register using biometric technology. The operation, in conformity with the September 27, 2012 decision of the Director General of Elections in ELECAM, Mohaman Sani Tanimou, ordering the biometric recompilation of voters' registers, will take place from October 3, 2012 to February 28, 2013 with the possibility of extension by a maximum of 30 days.
It was with the goal to obtain the commitment of all stakeholders in Cameroon's electoral process to ensure the success of the operation that the Electoral Board of ELECAM yesterday, October 2 at the Yaounde Conference Centre organised the third National Consultation Forum on the theme, "Biometric recompilation of voters' register: Challenges and perspectives." The forum brought together stakeholders in the electoral process that comprised representatives of government, the judiciary, legalized political parties and civil society organizations. They were joined by some cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and some officials of ELECAM's technical partner in the biometric recompilation of voters' register, Giesecke and Devrient.
Effective enrolment on the electoral register begins today with high hopes of greater success, considering that the forum between ELECAM and other stakeholders served to identify roles, clear doubts and cement the joint action platform for the success of the operation. The Electoral Board Chairman of ELECAM, Dr Fonkam Azu'u Samuel in his opening speech stated that the forum was organised to avoid the shortcomings witnessed in the October 9, 2011 presidential election, the first ever to be organised by the institution. He explained that the recompilation of the electoral register using biometric technology was intended to tackle problems of multiple registration and other noticed lapses so that future elections in the country are transparent, free, fair and credible. Fonkam Azu'u, enjoined all stakeholders to effectively play their roles and above all, educate and mobilize Cameroonians of voting age to enrol on the electoral register in order to perform their civic duties.
Besides sharing of views that later continued in-camera, the most crucial part of the forum was the demonstration of the entire registration process using biometric technology. Three participants, including the leading opposition Social Democratic Front MP and Questor in the National Assembly, Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, were effectively registered in the hall to appreciation of all. This phase of the ceremony was coordinated by the Officer in charge of Electoral Issues in ELECAM, Dr Thaddeus Menang. Dr Fonkam Azu'u and Menang Thaddeus explained every stage of the registration process that ended with the issuing of registration receipts to those who registered.
