As a result of the tensions that marked Sunday’s elections in Cameroon, special attention was paid to the North West and South West regions that have been engulfed in violence for years now.
While a huge military presence permitted politicians and a few to vote in areas like Bamenda and Buea, such was not the case in most of the regions.
In Kumbo in the North West region which is noted for being a stronghold of Ambazonia separatists for instance, residents stayed indoors for fear of the unknown. A similar scenario was witnessed in Kumba where gun battles left residents more scared than before.
In Lebialem division, the Social Democratic Front, SDF party asserts that not up to 200 persons (less than 5% of registered voters) turned up for the exercise.
Over 70 of the voters are said to have been soldiers assigned to ensure security during the process.
Some of the 147 polling stations registered as little as two votes, a situation never witnessed in the division before.
The total number of registered voters in the South West region ELECAM states stands at 372929, excluding defence and
security forces authorised to vote in the region. 21,849 of those registered voters the body states are in the Lebialem division alone.
With the official results being awaited, several instances of vote rigging have already been uncovered across the country.
Few moments after polls closed, minister Atanga Nji noted that despite a few isolated incidents, the elections had generally been successful throughout the national territory.
MMI
