Teething Challenges : Improving Civil Rights, Elections Preparation…

Next year (2025) promises to be an intensive electoral period for Cameroon. Going by the electoral calendar, the Presidential, legislative, regional and municipal elections are expected to hold. Political analysis notes that everything being equal, the legislative elections would be organised in February 2025. That means political parties who have the intention of having representatives at the National Assembly have to intensify their strategies of getting the electorate cast their votes in their favour. And one thing is certain, elections are not prepared in the morning of the polling date. Indeed, proper preparation prevents poor performance and political parties thus have several challenges to overcome for wonderful results. Amongst the challenges to surmount is encouraging the fulfilment of civil rights, that is from enrolment of the voter registers to voting, and making sure they have the necessary resources to participate in an electoral process.  

Improving Civil Rights   
The refers to the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality. Participating in the electoral process, in a typical democratic State like Cameroon is a civil right. The process begins by registering at the Elections Cameroon electoral lists, withdrawing the voter card and voting on polling day. Political parties, as a major stakeholder in the process thus collaborate with the elections management body (ELECAM) to achieve certain objectives. Going by information made public by the Director General of Elections at ELECAM, Dr. Erik Essousse at the end of the 2023, revision of electoral registers indicate that a total of seven million 361 thousand 875 persons had their names on the lists. In addition to those who will have themselves registered this year, political parties will have to encourage the fulfilment of civil rights by minimising the effects of voter apathy. This refers to a situation where persons of voting age do not participate in the electoral process. That is, they are not interested in public elections. And unfortunately, the majority of those who are lukewarm in the process are women and the youths, despite their numerical strength. Trying to convince some persons who have the mentality that participating in an electoral process is reserved for certain individuals has to be fought by political parties. Women in general are very lukewarm in the process and political parties have to ...