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CEP template 2012

C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s In the June 2002 general election, the third since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1990, the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) gained 133 seats, substantially extending its parliamentary majority, while the Social Democratic Front (SDF) took 21 (mainly in the English-speaking North-West), the Union for Democracy and Change (UDC) five and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) three. Elections in nine constituencies with 17 Assembly seats were annulled by the Supreme Court and re-run in September 2002, when 16 were won by the CPDM and one by the SDF. Incumbent President Paul Biya won a landslide victory in the October 2004 presidential election, receiving 75 per cent of the votes. The elections in July 2007 extended the ruling CPDM’s majority in the National Assembly. On announcement of the results, 103 petitions for annulment were filed with the Supreme Court. A rerun ordered by the Court for 17 of the 180 seats in September 2007 resulted in reducing the CPDM’s holding to 153 seats, while SDF took 16, the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) six, UDC four and Progressive Movement one. At the re-run in September 2007, the CPDM took 13 of the 17 contested seats, the SDF two and the UNDP two. In early 2008 the National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment removing presidential term limits, thus opening the way for President Biya to seek re-election. Biya won the presidential election in October 2011, increasing his share of the vote to about 78 per cent. His main rival in a field of more than 20 candidates was John Fru Ndi (SDF), who secured about 10.7 per cent of the vote. The election was observed by a Commonwealth expert team. In the first Senate elections, held on 14 April 2013, the ruling CPDM won 56 of the 70 elective seats and the SDF 14. National Assembly and local elections were held on 30 September 2013, when the CPDM won 148 seats in the Assembly, the SDF 18, the UNDP five, the UDC four and the UPC three. Local government Ministry: Territorial Administration and Decentralisation Local government is provided for by Laws 17 (on decentralisation), 18 (councils) and 19 (regions) of 2004, and it is also enshrined in the constitution, together with a higher tier of regional councils that had yet to be implemented in 2012. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation is responsible for local government. There are 374 elected councils for the purpose of local government, including 14 city councils and 45 district councils that are subsidiary to the city councils. Local elections are held every five years. The local authorities raise revenue from taxes and fees, and receive transfers from national government. They are responsible for primary education, health, social services, utilities and town planning, though the district councils in the cities deliver a smaller range of services. National development plan Cameroon Vision 2035 expresses the aspirations of Cameroonians to be a united nation enjoying peace and security, democracy, decentralised administration, prosperity and universal access to quality social services. The agenda for development planning was set in 2003 by a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Policy The priorities of the Poverty Reduction Strategy are: • Macroeconomic stability • Diversifying the economy • Revitalising the private sector’s ability to deliver social services • Developing basic infrastructure and natural resources while protecting the environment • Creating closer ties with neighbouring countries in respect of trade, finance, transport, forestry, education and tourism • Strengthening human resources and the social services, and integrating vulnerable groups into the economy • Promoting good governance Governance The Poverty Reduction Strategy – under the National Programme on Governance (NPG) – made the promotion of good governance and the fight against corruption a key component of poverty reduction. The principal area of focus of the NPG has been the strengthening of the institutional framework of public finance auditing through the creation of the Audit Bench and the reorganisation of the Supreme State Audit. Further areas include the major reform of the Public Contracts Regulatory Agency and the fight against corruption through the National Anti-Corruption Commission (established in 2006) as well as the National Agency for Financial Investigation (2005). Further information Cameroon Government Gateway: www.spm.gov.cm Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 152 Governance institutions Bank of Central African States: www.beac.int Douala Stock Exchange: www.douala-stock-exchange.com Elections Cameroon: www.elecam.cm Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation: minatd.cm National Agency for Financial Investigation: www.anif.cm National Anti-Corruption Commission: www.conac-cameroun.net Office of the President: www.prc.cm Supreme Court of Cameroon: www.coursupreme.cm Telecommunications Regulatory Board: www.art.cm


CEP template 2012
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