Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07YAOUNDE504
2007-04-23 08:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yaounde
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHYD #0504 1130825 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 230825Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7620 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1589 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1833 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000504
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/C
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS
EUCOM FOR J5-A AFRICA DIVISION AND POLAD YATES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: ELECTIONS CALLED FOR JULY 22
REF: YAOUNDE 445
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000504
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/C
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS
EUCOM FOR J5-A AFRICA DIVISION AND POLAD YATES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: ELECTIONS CALLED FOR JULY 22
REF: YAOUNDE 445
1. (U) As was widely expected, President Biya issued a
decree April 20 calling legislative and municipal elections
for Sunday, July 22. In accordance with Cameroonian law,
voter registration closed with this announcement. According
to news reports, some 4 million people are registered to
vote, representing 20-25 percent of the population, and well
below the government's goal of 7-8 million registered voters.
2. (U) Though the announcement was not a surprise (reftel),
there was some frustration and disbelief at the decision not
to postpone elections until the fall. As one political
activist noted, in addition to the poor voter registration
results, late July is full rainy season for many parts of the
country, meaning some villages will be all but cut off
because of impassable roads, making voting difficult if not
impossible for many rural residents. In a country already
suspicious of the government's motives, this combination of
factors will lead some to conclude that the government's
actions were deliberately taken to suppress voter
participation.
3. (SBU) Comment. Donor community efforts will now shift
from encouraging people to register to encouraging people to
vote. From the beginning, the GRC has indicated its
preference to hold the elections in summer to coincide with
the expiration of the national assembly members' mandates,
rather than to postpone them until fall. Biya called
elections for the latest possible date given the expiration
of the existing mandates, thus, in theory, allowing maximum
time for registration. Still, given the late start to
registration and the excessive difficulties would-be voters
faced trying to register, Biya's decision might draw a fair
amount of criticism, especially as the GRC fell so short of
its own goal of 7-8 million registered voters. At the very
least, the low registration number is likely to increase
apathy among an electorate that believes it has very little
chance of effecting change anyway. End Comment.
NELSON
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/C
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS
EUCOM FOR J5-A AFRICA DIVISION AND POLAD YATES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: ELECTIONS CALLED FOR JULY 22
REF: YAOUNDE 445
1. (U) As was widely expected, President Biya issued a
decree April 20 calling legislative and municipal elections
for Sunday, July 22. In accordance with Cameroonian law,
voter registration closed with this announcement. According
to news reports, some 4 million people are registered to
vote, representing 20-25 percent of the population, and well
below the government's goal of 7-8 million registered voters.
2. (U) Though the announcement was not a surprise (reftel),
there was some frustration and disbelief at the decision not
to postpone elections until the fall. As one political
activist noted, in addition to the poor voter registration
results, late July is full rainy season for many parts of the
country, meaning some villages will be all but cut off
because of impassable roads, making voting difficult if not
impossible for many rural residents. In a country already
suspicious of the government's motives, this combination of
factors will lead some to conclude that the government's
actions were deliberately taken to suppress voter
participation.
3. (SBU) Comment. Donor community efforts will now shift
from encouraging people to register to encouraging people to
vote. From the beginning, the GRC has indicated its
preference to hold the elections in summer to coincide with
the expiration of the national assembly members' mandates,
rather than to postpone them until fall. Biya called
elections for the latest possible date given the expiration
of the existing mandates, thus, in theory, allowing maximum
time for registration. Still, given the late start to
registration and the excessive difficulties would-be voters
faced trying to register, Biya's decision might draw a fair
amount of criticism, especially as the GRC fell so short of
its own goal of 7-8 million registered voters. At the very
least, the low registration number is likely to increase
apathy among an electorate that believes it has very little
chance of effecting change anyway. End Comment.
NELSON