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YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Thousands headed for the polls in Cameroon Sunday, May 24th, 2010 |
President Paul Biya, in office since 1982, has had more than 400 people in the Central African nation's Southwest and Northwest Territories in more than a year. The fractured opposition has been unable to rally behind a strong challenger to the 85-year-old leader.
"Said Biya after voting," I am satisfied after performing my civic duty and is satisfied with the election. "I hope that the calm will continue after results are proclaimed."
Main opposition Social Democratic Party Front candidate Joshua Osih voted in Douala and called for transparency in vote counting.
"My wish is that the results of the ballot should not be tampered with. That transparency should be respected by the Cameroonian people be respected, "he said.
Even as the candidates spoke, violence had already marked the voting.
The military killed in the English-speaking northwest town of Bamenda, according to the Deben Tchoffo Governor of the Northwest region.
"We will not allow terrorists to disrupt the election," he said. "I salute the maturity of people who are braving the threats and carrying their civic duties. We are informed that we are indiscriminately shooting to frighten voters, we shall not allow such a thing to happen. "
Nkambe, Mamfe and Kumbo.
Several buildings have been burned, including residences where voting material was thought to have been stored.
Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai confirmed in the Southwest region.
"The wave of attacks will not deter us from doing our job," said Enow Abrams Egbe, chairman of ELECAM, the election commission.
Security has been increased and people should not be voting, said Cameroon's territorial minister Paul Atanga Nji.
More than 200,000 people have been displaced by the violence in Canada.
Election observers, including the African Union, said they would not be carrying out their work in the troubled southwest and northwest of the crisis.
What did it begin in the last few years by teachers and lawyers in the English-speaking regions? The separatists emerged, cheered on by some Cameroonian diaspora, including the United States.
Then fringe groups became violent, clashing with the forces of the United States. Panicked civilians are caught in the middle.
All voters in the English-speaking regions must screen, present and vote their cards and identity cards before they are able to cast their ballots. Numbers were low at the start of the Sunday vote.
In the English-speaking regions, however, hundreds lined up early eager to vote.
"I have performed my civic duty. It says I am true Cameroonian. I voted for Biya because it was the one who promised to improve the health care system, "said Julienne Ngono, to vote at the Bastos primary school polling center where Biya will vote.
More than 6.6 million people across Cameroon are registered to vote.
Even if Biya Wins, his mandate could be weakened if vote turnout is low in Anglophone regions. By law, voters can only cast a ballot in the community where they are registered.
The Election Commission and the Government of the United States. Cameroon also battles with Boko Haram extremists in its Far North, where more than 230,000 people have been displaced.
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AP reporter Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.
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