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| Dorothy Njeuma |
By Chrsitopher Ambe Shu
Professor Dorothy Limunga Njeuma, one of the 12 members of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Cameroon
Professor Njeuma-widely said to be a woman of integrity and a stringent manager, gave the assurance to journalists during a press conference on November 9, in Buea as she was about to start a three-week meet -the –stakeholders tour of the South West Region, to assess the functioning of ELECAM, its structures and facilities and as well as get suggestions for improvement.
“Is there any guarantee that suggestions for improvement of the functioning of ELECAM that you get from the field will be considered?” Recorder Editor asked Dorothy Njeuma.
And she had this as reply: “In the past month certain things have happened {in ELECAM} which may not have happened if people did not make their voices heard. I hope you understand what I mean.”
Although she did not cite any particular thing, it is common knowledge that President Biya only signed a text making the functioning of ELECAM legal after the SDF had filed a suit in the Supreme Court, noting that the election management body was operating illegally. ELECAM had started carrying out its functions even before an enabling act was signed by the President of the Republic-as required by law, for it to begin operating, a move which was described by the opposition as a violation of the law.
The decision to go down to the field to get first hand information was taken at ELECAM Board meeting last October in Yaounde
All the Board members are supposed to be on the field in their various regions of origin ”to assess the effective installation of ELECAM regional structures on the ground and to see how the exercise of registration of voters on electoral registers launched in August 2010 is going on ”,it emerged
During their visits, they are programmed to meet with election stakeholders and opinion leaders such as political party representatives, MP’s, mayors, civil society organizations, religious leaders, judicial authorities and media practitioners.
Professor Njeuma stressed that despite reservations expressed by some people especially the opposition parties, ELECAM would organize what she described “Free, Fair and credible Elections”.
The Board member called for massive enrollment in electoral registers, noting that it is a civic responsibility to choose those who govern. “If Cameroon
Asked if she had contemplated resignation from ELECAM as reported by media reports, Prof.Njeuma quipped, “Papers want to sell so they write what they like. I saw the paper myself .That is all I can say”
Njang Emmanuel, Southwest Regional Delegate for ELECAM, who assisted in answering questions from reporters, said the region had just registered 22,776 potential voters. “We hope to have higher figures in the days ahead,” Njang said.
1 comment:
it is rather a shame that even the learned people of this country cannot forster the basic principles of democracy in politics and even in their management.She calls herself a professor but cannot speak the truth to the so-called heirachy when needed!!! such a country blessed with riches both natural and intellectual but none of them is used properly.
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