By Mwalimu George Ngwane
The 19th December 1990 Law of Association that opened the floodgates of multiparty politics has resulted, close to twenty years after, in mixed fortunes especially in the areas of citizen election participation and democratic development dividends. With hindsight the July 22nd and September 30th 2007 twin elections in Cameroon confirmed an earlier appraisal of our electoral democracy-one characterized by the increasing rate of voter apathy in our elections.
From a 60.6 % voter turn out in the Parliamentary elections in 1992, through a less than 45 % in the twin elections of July 2007 to a ridiculous 20% participation in the twin re-run of September 30th 2007 the electorate seems to be now voting with their feet. Analysts have been quick at advancing reasons for this downward trend some of which vary from lack of an effective neutral and independent election body, selective disenfranchisement, insensitive international community, mass rigging, to sterile political debates occasioned by the trading of accusations of illegitimacy between the ruling party and the Opposition parties and the collective lethargy of the civil society.
Yet another very fundamental reason for voter apathy in Cameroon is the loss of faith in the party system by Cameroonians. This is leading our country to a dominant party state reminiscent of the one party system and the disconnection of a large percentage of citizen stakeholders wary of party politics.
Recent Comments