By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum
The first ever Regional Election is taking place across polling stations in Cameroon this Sunday December 6th 2020. After casting votes, the electorate awaits Decentralisation and special status with high expectatiion. Once results are declared by the nation’s constitutional council, the installation of regional councillors plus the exercise of their duties would follow.
Councillors line up for Voting on Elections Day
Expectations are also juicy in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon though in a backdrop of a four year old Anglophone crisis.
In Mezam, one of seven Divisions in the Northwest Region where voting is taking place, the streets are deserted as people are sticking to ghost towns in obedience to separatist fighters. However, the polling station at Up Station is lively. Members of the electoral college stroll in and out in various turns casting votes.
The House of Chief and the House of Regional Councillors are the two assemblies in the making during the maiden Regional Elections in Cameroon.
They are being voted through indirect universal sufferage. Traditional leaders are voting representatives of the House of Chiefs while Municipal counsellors are voting regional councillors.
When approached by the press for reactions, those taking part in elections expressed confidence. Fon Angwafo III of Mankon Fondom like Mayor Ngwakongoh Lawrence of Bafut all expressed confidence that the elections would usher a wind of change with greater development.
Northwest Governor Adolph Lele Lafrique supervised elections across the seven Divisions of the Northwest by aid of airlift. He expressed satisfaction for the smooth start of the elections and the coming of the special status and effective Decentralisation.
Polls opened at 8:00 am Sunday December 6th and would close at 6:00pm. The outcome would be the voting of seven hundred into the House of Divisional Representatives and two hundred into the house of Chiefs nationwide.