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Cameroon Opposition Challenges Ruling Party Landslide Victory

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   YAOUNDE - Claiming massive fraud, Cameroonian opposition political
   parties are calling for the results of the February 9 local elections
   that gave the ruling People's Democratic Movement of long-serving
   President Paul Biya a landslide victory to be discarded. Meanwhile,
   results of the parliamentary polls are still expected.

   Denis Kemlemo, spokesperson of the opposition Social Democratic Front,
   says his party has petitioned the constitutional council to totally
   discard the results of the February 9 local and national assembly
   elections, which he says were characterized by many irregularities.

   "Among some of these reasons is massive fraud, corruption of voters.
   Troops sent from other regions voted on behalf of the local
   population," he said. "Other reasons include gun violence, low voters
   participation, and there were also a lot of threats, which made some
   candidates to even desist or withdraw their bids."

   Kemlemo said besides the petition submitted by his party, individual
   candidates had also asked the constitutional council to ignore the
   elections in their constituencies. He said some of his party's
   candidates were scandalized that troops the government said it had sent
   to the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions to protect
   civilians from separatist fighters who had vowed to disrupt the polls
   were instead stuffing ballot boxes to favor the ruling CPDM party. The
   military has denied the allegations, saying troops were there solely
   for security.

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