BENIN: LOCAL ELECTIONS PREPARATIONS AMIDST POLITICAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000201

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W DBANKS
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: LOCAL ELECTIONS PREPARATIONS AMIDST POLITICAL
TENSION AND ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD

REF: (A) COTONOU 104 (B) COTONOU 43 (C) 07 COTONOU 817


1. (U) SUMMARY: Preparations for local elections, now scheduled for
April 20, continue apace in Benin against a backdrop of logistical
problems, alleged fraud, and mounting political tension. The
National Independent Electoral Commission (CENA) completed voter
registration. Tension between President Yayi's political coalition,
Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin (FCBE),and his former allies in
the other political parties reached a climax in a public meeting of
party leaders, during which they denounced his Presidency. The
police arrested and released eleven CENA officials allegedly
involved in an illegal withdrawal of voter identification cards from
the CENA. END SUMMARY.

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President Yayi versus G13 and G4
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2. (SBU) Relations between President Yayi and his political
opponents have grown tenser over the last month. President Yayi
faces two different groups of loosely allied political leaders. The
first is known as the G13, a group of 13 National Assembly deputies
from minor political parties. These deputies originally supported
the FCBE in the National Assembly but split away from the President
in February over his decision to run a single list of FCBE
candidates in the municipal elections instead of allowing coalition
member parties to field their own candidates. The second group is
the G4, a loose grouping of Benin's four main political parties,
outside of the FCBE, which include the Renaissance of Benin (RB -
Nicephore Soglo) party, the Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD -
Adrien Houngbeji),the Social Democrat Party (PSD - Bruno Amoussou)
and the African Movement for Development and Progress Party (MADEP -
Sefou Fagbohoun). Their leaders made a very public joint declaration
harshly criticizing President Yayi's government and policies on
March 12. The G4 feels it has been shut out of President Yayi's
government, and takes issue with his frequent "campaign" style trips
and his almost daily appearances on local television stations.

3.(SBU) In an attempt to defuse tensions President Yayi turned to
the government mediator, Albert Tevoedjre, one of his political
mentors, to establish dialogue with the G13 and G4. Teveoedjre's
efforts have been mostly for naught. According to an embassy source
close to PRD's president Adrien Houngbedji, Teveoedjre is seen as a
tool of President Yayi, and PRD sees little reason to cooperate with
him. While some sources are willing to speak freely about the
upcoming elections, the embassy has noticed a reticence on the part
of many to speak about the elections, much of which can be
attributed to this week's accusations against RB members of stealing
election materials.

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Disappearance of 50,000 Voter Cards
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4. (U) On April 2, the police arrested 11 members of the CENA,
including the CENA's Budget Coordinator and other members from the
CENA's local body in the Littoral District, which includes Cotonou,
on allegations of theft of voter materials. According to press
reports, those arrested are accused misappropriating 50,000 blank
voter identification cards from the CENA headquarters under the
pretext of supplying local registration agents. The current
location and exact numbers of the cards are unknown. The accused
include several active RB members which casts a pall of suspicion on
the RB party. Note: The race for control of Cotonou's city hall is
expected to be fierce with President Yayi's FCBE fielding Jerome
Dandjinou, the current Port Director, in opposition to the RB's
current Mayor and former Beninese President Nicephore Soglo (RB). In
2002 Mr. Dandjinou also served as head of the Cotonou District,
equivalent to the mayor position today; his social and economic
achievements were much appreciated while holding this position. End
Note. On April 1, Rosine Soglo, member of the National Assembly,
party leader of RB, fraction chief of ADD, a parliamentarian
grouping, and wife of the Mayor, went to the CENA to express regret
for the alleged theft of the 50,000 voter's cards. End Note. On
April 3, Cotonou's public prosecutor arraigned the 11 accused
persons and the court placed them in pre-trial detention. On April 8
the Cotonou Court released them after a trial.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: The tensions characterizing the current political
climate are typical during the preparation of elections in Benin.
This time the tensions are higher than usual, however, because
President Yayi's FCBE seeks to challenge the G13 and G4 for control
of municipalities in their strongholds of Cotonou and Parakou in
advance of the 2011 presidential elections. The accusations of voter
identification card theft are problematic, because they could be an
indicator of more wide-spread fraud and serve losing parties

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ammunition to contest the election results. While many observers
think President Yayi should try to bring the political parties
together in the interests of social peace, this will prove
increasingly difficult after these hotly contested municipal
elections and the likelihood of the G4 and the G13 jockeying for
position as they look ahead to the 2011 presidential election. END
COMMENT

BROWN