Cameroon's vote on October 7th, but will it include regions in difficulty?
World
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YAOUNDE –
Cameroon has set October 7 as the date of its presidential election. However, it remains to be seen whether the vote can take place in the two English-speaking regions of the country, where separatists are fighting for an independent state.
Abdoul-Karimou, deputy director of the Cameroonian Electoral Body, ELECAM, said that ELECAM has not yet been elected. receive documents from all presidential candidates. But he expects this to change.
He said that according to Cameroon's electoral code, people who want to run for office still have until July 19 to send their documents to the election management body for review.
Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front of the Opposition, Akere Muna, lawyer and former Vice President of Transparency International, Maurice Kamto, leader of the Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon, and journalist Cabral Libi said their intention to introduce themselves. 19659006] DOSSIER – Cameroonian President Paul Biya attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not shown) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 22, 2018. "src =" https: // gdb .voanews.com / AD054EAD-FA35-4403-905C-9CCC297D78BE_w250_r0_s.jpg "/>
DOSSIER – Participation of the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not represented) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 22, 2018.
Outgoing President Paul Biya, who has been in power for over 35 years, did not say he would run. But there have been calls from his party, traditional leaders and even some opposition political parties for him to be their candidate.
Traditional leader and legislator Chaffa Isaac asked Biya to run in the hope that his reelection could bring peace. "We call on President Paul Biya to take all the appropriate steps to create a conducive atmosphere, one for peace to reign in Cameroon, two, for But the Social Democratic Party Joshua Osih said that he did not think that elections can be successfully held in the northwestern and southwestern regions, where the army is fighting against armed groups, fighting for the creation of an anglophone state.
Twenty percent of 23 million Cameroonians are Anglophone in a bilingual country where French is predominant
The conflict has killed more than 250 soldiers, armed combatants and civilians, left more than 160,000 displaced people and forced dozens of thousands of people crossing the border in Nigeria.
"Elections are not possible in the current circumstances in the northwest and southwest." Legislators of the National Assembly have adopted a law extending their mandate by 12 months. They said the country can not run presidential and parliamentary elections in the same year.
Some lawmakers said that they voted for the bill because the crisis in English-speaking areas will make elections impossible.
Last March, senatorial elections did not take place in the English-speaking administrative units of Manyu and Lebialem where some municipal councilors were arrested and locked up by armed groups.
Armed separatists have vowed to block any election in English-speaking areas. The government says it will ensure the safety and security of voters.
