Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) has instructed its regional delegates to urgently submit proposals for the renaming and relocation of polling stations currently sited in controversial venues such as military barracks, police stations, guard posts, and palaces. The directive, issued in a message dated 14 August 2025 and signed by Director General of Elections Erik Essousse, appears to directly address concerns raised by opposition parties, most notably the Social Democratic Front (SDF).
The SDF had only weeks earlier petitioned the Electoral Council, warning that 1,153 polling stations nationwide were located in places deemed inaccessible, partisan, or outright intimidating for voters. These included 12 in barracks, five in army headquarters including inside the Presidency of the Republic and 1,141 in traditional chiefdoms.
In its letter of 21 July 2025, the SDF argued that such locations violated Article 96(4) of the Electoral Code, which requires polling stations to be neutral, accessible, and secure civilian spaces free from weapons. Party leader and presidential candidate Hon. Joshua Osih accused ELECAM of undermining the credibility of the electoral process and demanded an urgent relocation.
The new ELECAM directive, couched in administrative urgency, calls for regional delegates to prepare proposals by 16 August 2025, identifying alternative venues in consultation with competent authorities. The mention of “commissariats, barracks, palaces, and military posts” aligns precisely with the SDF’s earlier complaints, suggesting that the electoral body is now moving to defuse a brewing controversy.
For the opposition, this development can be read in two ways. On the one hand, it demonstrates that sustained pressure has forced the authorities to act, signalling that ELECAM is sensitive to accusations of bias. On the other hand, questions remain about implementation: whether these problematic polling stations will genuinely be moved to neutral public venues such as schools, town halls, or community centres or whether cosmetic name changes will simply disguise the status quo.
Analysts suggest that the SDF, and by extension the wider opposition, may treat this as a small but symbolic victory in the long struggle over electoral transparency. In a context where trust in election management institutions remains low, any acknowledgement of opposition demands can bolster their legitimacy and mobilising power.
Yet, the timing less than two months to polling day raises doubts about feasibility. Relocating over 1,100 polling stations nationwide is a logistical and administrative challenge that may test ELECAM’s credibility further.
For the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), the directive may help neutralise accusations that the electoral field is tilted in its favour. By acting before the final publication of polling stations, ELECAM can argue that it is upholding both the spirit and the letter of the law.
For the opposition, however, much depends on follow-through. If the promised changes are not effectively executed or communicated to voters in time, the controversy may return with greater force on election day, fuelling disputes and possible contestations of the results.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
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