The Loopholes, Shortcomings and Controversies of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) and its Law within the Electoral Dispensation of Cameroon

October 23, 2019

Kijem Yuh

Greener Journal of Social Sciences

Vol. 9(2), pp. 45-51, 2019

ISSN: 2276-7800

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.15580/GJSS.2019.2.071019133

https://gjournals.org/GJSC

The Loopholes, Shortcomings and Controversies of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) and its Law within the Electoral Dispensation of Cameroon

Joseph KIJEM YUH*

Senior Translator, Central Bureau for Censuses and Population Studies (BUCREP), Yaounde – Cameroon, and Human Rights Consultant

*Joseph KIJEM YUH is a holder of a Postgraduate Diploma in Translation Studies , a Master’s Degree in Human Rights Law / Humanitarian Action and a Doctoral Degree in Political Science (Speciality: Human Rights Education).

ARTICLE INFO

ABSTRACT

Article No.: 0701019133

Type: Short Comm.

DOI: 10.15580/GJSS.2019.2.071019133

The realm of elections enables the citizens of a country to select those who shall handle their affairs. It is meant to avoid anarchy in the political, legislative, municipal and executive management of the affairs of the society since the chosen or elected few can more easily harmonize their views when compared to the entire society.

The idea of a selected or chosen few managing State affairs has been formalized by some international legal instruments. It is in this light that Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981) intimates that every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives. This Article is corroborated by Article 17 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007).

However, the principle of choosing a few has been watered down by some so-called democracies, especially some African countries. Amongst these countries, Cameroon occupies a prominent position. This is a country which has been systematically organizing and rigging elections. This situation has now got to a point that some human rights activists or enthusiasts are called upon to raise awareness as far as Cameroon’s deplorable case is concerned.

It is in this light that I decided to present the loopholes, controversies and shortcomings inherent in the ELECAM Law. My aim, as far as this presentation is concerned, is to raise awareness as to the need to review this Law, and also to the need to set up a credible election management body.

It should be noted that, though still useful, this article was written before the 2011 Presidential Elections in Cameroon

Submitted: 10/07/2019

Accepted: 15/07/2019

Published: 23/10/2019

*Corresponding Author

Joseph Kijem Yuh

E-mail: yuh750@ gmail. com

Keywords:

elections; citizens; legal; charter; representatives; democracy; governance; rigging; awareness; management

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

A) Articles

1) allafrica.com : Cameroon : ELECAM – Action Now Available at

allafrica.com/stories/200902030598.html (Consulted on:31/03/10)

2) EISA Electoral Commission of Namibia. Available at www.eisa.org.za/WEP/namec.htm (Consulted on: 31/03/10)

3) ELECAM is Source of War – Human Rights Activists//Current Available at current.com/…/89192034_cameroon-elecam-is-source-of-war-human-rights-activ ists.htm (Consulted on: 31/03/10)

4) Election Management Body Available at: en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_ management_ body (Consulted on: 06/04/10)

5) Electoral Reform/Electoral Commission of Ghana. Available at www.ec.gov.gh/node/10 (Consulted on: 31/03/10)

B) Legal Instruments

6) Sections 65 A and 66 of the 1966 Constitution of Botswana

7) Section 40 of Law N^o 2006/011 of 29 December 2006 to Set Up and Lay Down the Organization and Functioning of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM)

C) Other Instruments

8) A Paper on the Amendment of the 2006 Law on ELECAM , by Honourable Ayah Paul Abine

9) National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms (Cameroon), Report on the State of human Rights in Cameroon (2007 -2008), NCHRF Publication (2009), p. 20. Yaounde: Messie Printing Press.

Cite this Article: Kijem Yuh, J (2019). The Loopholes, Shortcomings and Controversies of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) and its Law within the Electoral Dispensation of Cameroon. Greener Journal of Social Sciences, 9(2): 45-51, https://doi.org/10.15580/GJSS.2019.2.071019133.

Journal Name : citation_journal : Greener Journal of Social Sciences

Publication Status/Date : usp_status_date : 23/10/2019