13 political parties to compete in Cameroon’s third Senate elections

By Tata Mbunwe

Thirteen political parties have deposited their files to participate in the upcoming Senatorial Elections in Cameroon, the elections management body, ELECAM, said on Monday morning.

This is unlike the 2018 elections where only nine parties contested.

This year’s elections will be contested by the CPDM, SDF, UNDP, UPC PCRN, FSNC, UDC, UMS, MDR, ANDP, MDR, FDC, JDC and UCDI.

ELECAM stopped collecting incoming files on Sunday, December 29, in prelude to the elections scheduled for March 12.

The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Party, (CPDM) which won 63 out of 70 seats in the 2018 elections, is the only party that will contest in all 10 Regions of the Country.

Its main opposition, the SDF, which won seven seats at the 2018 polls, will only contest in the Northwest and Adamawa Regions.

Paul Biya’s CPDM party will monopolise elections in the Southwest and South Regions, where no other party is contesting.

Parties like the UPC and UNDP will be contesting in five and four Regions, respectively.

While the UNDP party will contest in the Adamawa, East, Far North and North regions, the UPC will contest in the Adamawa, Centre, Littoral, Northwest and West Regions.

Cameroon’s Senate is made up of 100 members, 70 of which are elected and 30 appointed by President Paul Biya.

His ruling CPDM party controls both the Senate and the National Assembly with a whooping majority.

Key opposition parties like the Cameroon Renaissance Movement refused to contest in 2020 Municipal and Legislative Elections because it believes the country’s Electoral Code needs to be revived, because it favours the ruling party against the opposition.

Despite having a huge following in the country, the CRM cannot participate in the Senate Elections because it controls no municipal council and therefore has no representative among the electoral college, which is Municipal and Regional Councillors.

Mimi Mefo Info