BENIN: PRESIDENT YAYI'S MAJOR POLITICAL REFORMS IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000124 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W ACOOK LONDON FOR PETER LORD PARIS FOR BKANEDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL BN SUBJECT: BENIN: PRESIDENT YAYI'S MAJOR POLITICAL REFORMS IN JEOPARDY? REF: (A) 08 COTONOU 146; (B) 08 COTONOU 657; (C) 08 COTONOU 802 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: President Yayi launched three political reforms in an effort to improve democratic governance in 2008. First, he proposed a Permanent Computerized Voter Registry (LEPI) to ensure transparency in the 2011 presidential elections. Second, he started a review of the constitution to find ways to consolidate democratic rule. Third, he proposed increasing the number of provincial districts and providing them with local administration to ensure that the central government supports all regions equally. Proposed reforms must be approved by the National Assembly. Given the tense relations between the contentious opposition and President Yayi, the opposition majority group in the National Assembly is likely to delay the implementation of the announced reforms. END SUMMARY. -------------- Debate over the Implementing Agency for the LEPI -------------- 2 (SBU) Since the Head of the European Commission Delegation officially handed over the LEPI's feasibility report to president Yayi on December 10, 2008,(Ref B),politicians, journalists and civil society representatives have complained that the Permanent Secretariat of the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (SAP-CENA) has not released the report. Nevertheless, local newspapers have released extracts of the report and accused the SAP-CENA of withholding information to manipulate the process. On February 9, 2009, Lea Hounkph, Secretary of the SAP-CENA, gave a press conference where she reaffirmed that her institution should compile the LEPI. In addition, the Ministry in Charge of Relations between the Institutions organized a briefing session on the implementation of the LEPI on February 12 in Bohicon, in central Benin. A large majority of Beninese, including members of the opposition, believe that it is imperative to appoint an ad hoc independent body for implementing the LEPI, denying the CENA, the SAP-CENA and the Ministry in charge of Relations between the Institutions the right to compile the LEPI. Their concern stems from the fact that none of these institutions is independent of the President and none can guarantee the required neutrality for the operation. Francis Lalhyh, the Governance Expert for the Embassy of Netherlands in Cotonou told post he suspected that the huge provisional budget for the LEPI (32 million US Dollars vice 320 million US Dollars reported Ref A) fuels this competition. ¶3. (SBU) During a briefing session on the LEPI for political leaders and National Assembly deputies organized on February 11, by the Unit in charge of Development Policy Analysis at the National Assembly (CAPAN),Adrien Houngbedji, the leader of the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD) said that the LEPI should not be a "race against the clock" stressing that the objective is not necessarily to put in place the LEPI for 2011. Likewise, the leaders of two other parties of the G4, namely the Social Democratic Party (PSD),the African Movement for Democracy and Progress (MADEP),and the Coordinator of the G13 stated that it was too late to implement the LEPI before the presidential elections in 2011. While the majority of political leaders have failed to demonstrate a genuine commitment to accomplishing the LEPI, Chabi Sika, a deputy member of the pro-Yayi coalition Front Cowry for an Emerging Benin (FCBE) and Epiphane Quenum, from the opposition Renaissance of Benin party (RB) are supporting legislation to implement the LEPI. -------------- Constitutional review -------------- ¶4. (SBU) President Yayi's committee of experts presented its final report reviewing the constitution on January 29, 2009. The report proposes amendments to the constitution intended to maintain the chief democratic principles enshrined therein: liberal and pluralistic democracy; rule of law; the presidential nature of the political regime; the limitation of presidential terms; and, the age limit for presidential candidates. The committee prepared amendments focusing on public powers, participatory democracy, the fight against corruption, strengthening of public liberties and Human Rights. The proposed draft constitution seeks to improve the separation of powers between the judicial and the executive by changing the mode of appointment for members of the Supreme Court and the High Authority for the Media (HAAC). It also strengthens the functions of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court. Other outstanding amendments include: the abolition of capital punishment; the redefinition of parliamentary immunity; the cancellation of the statute of limitation for economic crimes and for crimes against humanity; the establishment of a Mediator of the Republic, a Government Accounting Office, and the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA). A preliminary report was COTONOU 00000124 002 OF 002 sent to the government in June 2008. Post has learned from various sources that the committee did not take all the government's observations into account in the January 30 final version, a situation which is said to have frustrated President Yayi. The basic idea in the amendments is to reduce presidential prerogatives, and to reinforce checks and balances between political institutions. -------------- New Administrative Division Plan at Stake -------------- ¶5. (U) February 2, 2009, a presidential committee unveiled a revised plan of administrative districts. The public had rejected he first plan, proposed by the Minister of Decentralization, Issa Demole Moko, (Ref B). The new plan expands the number of provinces proposed by Issa Demole Moko to 21 with a view to defusing dissatisfaction caused by the October 6 announcement which proposed a total of 12 districts doubling the current 6. Villagers protested the designation of the capital cities for the 21 provinces and expressed frustration over the fact that towns where they lived were not selected by the committee. The large majority of politicians believe that the government cannot afford increased infrastructure, salaries for prefects, and other expenses for 15 new capitals. However, pundits say the new plan reflects highly technical consideration by the committee of experts, which resulted in a very consensual administrative division plan. The Committee of experts embarked on a nationwide outreach effort March 2 to publicize the new plan and build public support for it. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: The current test of strength between President Yayi and the opposition bloc in the National Assembly augurs ill for the smooth implementation of reforms. While the three reforms are instrumental in President Yayi's political and economic agenda, they also have implications for the 2011 presidential and legislative elections. The new administrative division plan could help President Yayi expand his strongholds through prefects' efforts in distant constituencies, a strategy which is well understood by the opposition. The implementation of the LEPI project which appears to be an important step towards reducing electoral fraud is being rejected by some Beninese politicians who are accustomed to, and benefit from, the practice. In consideration of all this, President Yayi has very little room to maneuver and fierce battles will likely re-surface in the National Assembly. END COMMENT. BROWN