Electoral fraud in Cameroon: one of the many reasons

While elites of the South west province, who are members of the ruling Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement (CPDM), celebrated because Nguelemedouga has been transferred or posted to the North West province, it was not the same joy for elites of the Greater Northern Province. They also, wanted the post of Prime minister, which they lost in 1983. However, the prime ministerial post, was occupied albeit briefly, in the early 90s via one of their elite (Greater North) by name Sardou Hayatou. Elites of the Greater North of Cameroon, were furious and disappointment, even though, they had the influential post of Speaker of Parliament. In the opinion of the elites of the Greater North, although the post of Speaker of National Assembly has real powers; it does not have the appeal and the exposure that the post of Prime minister has or offers. Hence the attractiveness of the post of prime minister and the competitions it has orchestrated amongst elites of various regions of Cameroon. It is this kind of competitions amongst elites, who hold responsibilities within the government and who are most often, de facto militants of the ruling party, which amplifies and encourages electoral malpractices in the country. For every elites wants to garner as many votes as possible and in the process, all stratagems are employed.

One of the many reasons why some elites from various provinces or regions of Cameroon do take active part in electoral fraud is because; your elevation within the system is directly proportional to your loyalty toward the party. But since it is difficult to know ones loyalty, electoral malpractices is considered as one of the many possible gauges. The more votes that elite generates for the party or the president of the Republic from a given region, in any elections, may be considered as a benchmark or confirmation of loyalty. The confirmation of Nguelemedouga’s transfer to the North West province was celebrated by elites of the North West province, who are members of the ruling party. For since multiparty politics was re-introduced in Cameroon in 1990, the North West province has become the epicentre of a radical opposition party called the Social Democratic Front (SDF) led by a charismatic figure called John Fru Ndi, whose detractors claim, he is not well educated and is not sophisticated enough to be president of the Republic. Even though John Fru Ndi is despised by some elites of both Anglophone and Francophone Cameroon, he has steered his party to become the largest and strongest intra and extra parliamentary opposition party in Cameroon. In releasing such a feat, he has denied some elites of the province any prospect of wining a parliamentary seat, thus making their hold or claim to the post of prime ministry baseless. Especially that, Cameroon a country practising a semi-presidential system, it is required that, the head of government or prime minister, must come from the leading party in parliament.