Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COTONOU339
2009-08-05 09:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:  

BENIN: STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF COMPUTERIZED VOTER REGISTRY

Tags:  PGOV PREL BN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5321
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0339/01 2170955
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050955Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1058
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1505
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0461
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

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