ELECAM Relocates Over 1,000 Polling Stations After Osih’s Query

By Tata Mbunwe

The elections management body, ELECAM, has ordered the relocation of more than 1,000 polling stations to more accessible sites after a complaint from Social Democratic Front Chairman, Joshua Osih, argued that they were inaccessible to the population.

A message addressed by ELECAM Director General Erik Essousse to regional delegates on August 14 asked them to relocate all polling stations located in military and warders barracks, police stations and Chieftaincy palaces by August 16.

The measure, according to SDF communication officer, Henry Kejang, is directly linked to Joshua Osih’s compliant to ELECAM on July 21, 2025

In the complaint letter, Osih uncovered 1,153 polling stations which he deemed to be located in compromising places that made access restricted for the electorate.

Osih had argued that this violated Section 96(4) of the Electoral Code, which mandates that polling stations be “located in public premises or premises open to the public”.

Previous elections have seen voting taking place in houses belonging to top government officials, military barracks and Chiefs’ Palaces, where the ruling CPDM party has an upper hand in directing the vote outcome.

The relocation of these polling stations, Henry Kejang asserted, is a major victory for the SDF in its fight for electoral transparency in Cameroon, where President Paul Biya, 92, has been historically accused of rigging votes to cling to power.

Osih is among 12 candidates who are contesting alongside Biya in this year’s presidential polls, billed for October 12.

Biya’s government has been criticised by the opposition, civil society and human rights groups for restricting public freedoms and mistreating the opposition, including arresting dozens of supporters of popular opposition leader Maurice Kamto.

Kamto was disqualified from the presidential race by the Constitutional Court on August 5, a decision that Human Rights Watch said raised concerns about the credibility of the upcoming vote.