BENIN: STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF COMPUTERIZED VOTER REGISTRY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000339 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E JKNIGHT AND AF/W ACOOK LONDON FOR PETER LORD PARIS FOR BKANEDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL BN SUBJECT: BENIN: STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF COMPUTERIZED VOTER REGISTRY (LEPI) REF: (A) COTONOU 186; (B) COTONOU 124; (C) 08 COTONOU 802 ¶1. SUMMARY: The GOB, political parties, and civil society are engaged in a fierce struggle for control of the Permanent Computerized Voter Registry (LEPI). In a climate of mutual suspicion, stakeholders are attempting to influence the composition and staffing of supporting committees. The group FORS LEPI (Ref C), a network of civil society organizations, wants representation in the Political Committee of Supervision (CPS),a government-controlled body in charge of monitoring the LEPI. National Assembly deputies are lobbying for representation on Communal Committees of Supervision (CSS) and the National Computer and Public Liberties Committee (CNIL). Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs) are funding the LEPI and working to secure synergy and timely implementation (Ref A). END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- PRESIDENT YAYI SEIZES CONTROL OF POLITICAL COMMITTEE OF SUPERVISION (CPS) -------------- -------------- ¶2. On June 24, 2009, the fifteen members of the Political Committee of Supervision (CPS) were sworn in before the Constitutional Court. Members include two representatives of the Presidency, nine representatives of the National Assembly (deputies),the Administrative Secretary of the Permanent Administrative Secretariat of the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (SAP-CENA),and one representative each of civil society, the Bar Association, and the National Union of Magistrates. Of the fifteen designated members of the CPS, nine support President Yayi: his two representatives, four deputies of the coalition Force Cowry for the Emergence of Benin (FCBE),a deputy of the opposition party Renaissance du Benin (RB) (who has recently moved closer to President Yayi's camp),the civil society representative, and the Administrative Secretary of the SAP-CENA. President Yayi gained organizational control of the 15-member CPS when two supporters and the moderate RB member were designated to form the CPS's three-member Steering Bureau. The Bureau consists of Epiphane Quenum as General Supervisor (RB deputy),Domitien N'Ouemou as the Rapporteur (FCBE member),and Lea Hounkpe as the Bureau's Secretary General (Administrative Secretary of the SAP-CENA). -------------- THE MIRENA -------------- ¶3. On July 10, 2009, the CPS began hiring personnel for its operational wing, the Independent Mission for National Extended Census or MIRENA (Ref C). MIRENA will comprise nine specialists in the fields of demography, sociology, statistics, cartography, planning, biometrics, election, and law. MIRENA will be under the direct responsibility of the CPS. Members of the CPS are likely to squabble over the allotment of positions for MIRENA. -------------- PARLIAMENTARIANS NEGOTIATE... -------------- ¶4. National Assembly deputies are in dispute over the appointment of representatives to the National Computer and Public Liberties Committee (CNIL),a structure provided for by Benin's Protection of Personal Data Act (Ref C). Different parties are seeking control over the CNIL by obtaining a majority of representatives based on the political configuration of the parliament. Another test of strength in the National Assembly is the appointment of representatives to Communal Committees of Supervision (CCS), decentralized branches of the CPS in the 77 communes of Benin. -------------- ...AND CIVIL SOCIETY CONTESTS -------------- ¶5. On June 1, 2009, in a general assembly of representatives from the 77 communes of Benin, a civil society network, Group FORS-LEPI elected Orden Alladatin as the civil society representative to the CPS. FORS-LEPI notified the Ministry in Charge of Institutional Relations of the result of this election. The Ministry promptly overruled group FORS-LEPI and elected Rene Tchibenou from Dassa, central Benin, as the civil society representative to the CPS. The GOB confirmed Tchibenou's appointment to the CPS by decree on June ¶22. Tchibenou was sworn in on June 29. FORS-LEPI vigorously protested Tchibenou's appointment alleging the government had illegally appointed one of President Yayi's supporters to control the CPS. Alladatin is affiliated with the Key Force opposition party. Joel Atayi Guedegbe, a leading member of FORS-LEPI, has pointed out that Tchibenou attended and participated in the June 1 COTONOU 00000339 002 OF 002 civil society election of Alladatin. On June 29, FORS-LEPI requested the Constitutional Court to cancel the June 22 government decree that had confirmed Tchibenou's appointment to the CPS. -------------- TFP'S WATCH LEPI IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS -------------- ¶6. On July 9, UNDP convened a meeting with TFPs and members of the CPS to review the LEPI project. Post attended the meeting. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, UNDP Country Director, said that because of the political nature of the CPS, its members need to maintain a high level of cohesion in order to create a reliable and transparent LEPI. She reiterated the TFPs' support for LEPI. Bekele-Thomas stated that the UNDP would be managing the TFPs' financial contribution through a closely monitored "Basket Fund". She also announced that the TFPs, along with the GOB, the CPS, and MIRENA, will oversee the implementation process. If needed, the European Union and the UNDP will provide additional election expertise and training to enhance the technical capacity of MIRENA. The LEPI Steering Committee will be responsible for the strategic orientation of funds provided by the TFPs. The Steering Committee will comprise the President of the CPS, the European Commission's Chief of Mission, the UNDP Country Director, and representatives of the Ministry of Institutional Relations, MIRENA, and the TFPs. -------------- THE BUDGET FOR THE LEPI -------------- ¶7. The draft project document for LEPI approved by TPFs includes a CFA 16.1 Billion (USD 33.5 Million) implementation process budget. TFPs financial contributions run as follows: GOB CFA 3.5 Billion (USD 7.3 Million); European Commission CFA 4.6 Billion (USD 9.6 Million); UNDP CFA 240 Million (USD 5 Million); Belgium CFA 1.4 Billion (USD 2.8 Million); Netherlands CFA 1.4 Billion (USD 2.8 Million); Denmark CFA 1.2 Billion (USD 2.4 Million). The budget does not cover the running costs of the CPS or MIRENA, which will be funded by the government. Bekele-Thomas called on other partners like France, USA, Germany, and Canada to fill the 10 million USD budget gap. All TFP contributions are subject to separate agreements between the UNDP and the specific TPF, which have yet to be signed. Bekele-Thomas announced that the draft project document will soon be submitted to the government for approval. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. The TFPs are cautiously optimistic that the LEPI will be operational for the March 2011 presidential and legislative elections, and that funds will be well managed and directed. For the success of the project, the government, political parties, and civil society must manifest active commitment to the LEPI. High levels of suspicion and mistrust surround electoral activities in Benin. However, UNDP experts reassure Post of LEPI's reliability, as its concept leaves very little room for electoral fraud. BOUSTANI