By Bakah Derick
Councilors across Cameroon are this Sunday 12 March 2023 voting for Senators for the third legislature. Several local media organizations covering the elections in Mezam-North West Region are reporting that polling centers have effectively opened for voting.
Queues with councilors have been seen infront of polling centers preparing to vote. Other pictures show local election management officials presenting empty transparent ballot boxes to ensure transparency in the process.
Councilors of the seven councils in Mezam Division are voting at upstation Bamenda- seat of the regional administration considered relatively peaceful. Voting is also reported to have started in other divisions like Menchum, Momo and Dunga Mantung.
Very little is heard from more restive areas like Ngoketunjia, Bui and Boyo where non state armed groups carry our attacks regularly. The safety of councilors in these areas is a major concern on voting day.
Administrative authorities are expected to ensure that voting goes on hitch free. North West Governor Lele L'Afrique Adolph Tchoffo Deben is reported to have visited the Mezam Polling Center. Bamenda based reporter Mbuh Stella reports that the Governor says elections the elections are going on as expected across the region.
The region is voting for seven Senators with President Paul Biya expected to appoint three more as per the constitution.
This is the second senatorial elections within an over six years old armed conflict in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon.
The streets are empty with no public transportation following a ghost town call by advocates for a new country made up of these two regions.
The polls are expected to close at 6pm.