H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission has signed an order which has to deploy a 12-members long-term elections observation mission ahead of the presidential election of 07 October 2018 in Cameroon. It seems the African Union is determined to have its own look into Cameroon’s messy political scene.
The team is made up of 4 core analysts and 8 long-term elections observers. These 12 members who are already in Cameroon are expected to stay until 19th October 2018 to comprehensively assess the electoral process in line with the AU’s long-term elections observation methodology. The 12 members will be joined by a short Term Observation mission before the elections date that is 28th September to the 10th of October.
The mission derives its mandate from The AU’s instrument on Democracy, Elections, and Human rights, especially the 2007 African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance. For the AU, their overall objective of the elections observation Mission is to promote Democracy and build public confidence in electoral processes in African Union member states.
The election will be held amidst increasing violence in the English-speaking regions of the country. A pro-independence armed movement that has vowed that the election will not take place.
As the African Union sends its observers into the country, there is a renewed hope that they will adhere stated objectives of the AU’s vision 2063. Looking at point No. 03 of the vision, the AU aims to ensure an “an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law”. In Cameroon, at least this year, let it be so.
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