REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
Peace Work Fatherland
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
8TH LEGISLATIVE PERIOD
LEGISLATIVE YEAR 2012
1sT EXTRAORDINARY SESSION
(April 2012)
LAW
RELATING TO THE ELECTORAL CODE
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTioN 1.- (1) This law relates to the electoral code.
(2) In particular, it lays down:
- Provisions specific to the body responsible for the organization, management and supervision of all election and referendum operations;
Common provisions governing the election of the President of the Republic, Members of Parliament and Municipal Councillors and to Referendums; - Provisions specific to the vacancy of and election to the Presidency of the Republic; - Provisions specific to the election of Members of Parliament to the National Assembly; -Provisions specific to the election of municipal councillors; - Provisions specific to referendums; -Provisions applicable to the election of senators; -Provisions applicable to the election of Regional councillors; - Provisions specific to voting by Cameroonian citizens based or resident abroad; -Provisions specific to the funding of political parties and election campaigns and referendums.
SEctioN 2.- (1) Elections shall be by universal suffrage and by equal and secret ballot. (2) Suffrage may be direct or indirect under the terms and conditions provided for by the Constitution and by this law.
SEctioN 3.- The organization, management and supervision of all election and referendum operations shall devolve upon "Elections Cameroon”, abbreviated as “ELECAM”.
PARTII
PROVISIONS SPECIFIC TO THE BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION OF ALL ELECTIONAND REFERENDUM OPERATIONS
CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECtioN 4.- (1) "Elections Cameroon” shall be an independent body responsible for the organization, management and supervision of all election and referendum operations.
(2) Elections Cameroon shall perform its duties in keeping with the Constitution and laws and regulations in force. (3) Elections Cameroon shall have legal personality and management autonomy. (4) The Head Office of Elections Cameroon shall be in Yaounde.
SEctioN 5.- (1) Members of Elections Cameroon shall refrain from any act that may undermine the independence and dignity of their duties. They shall specifically, during their tenure of office, refrain from using their status for purposes other than those relating to their mandate.
(2) Members of Elections Cameroon shall, under no circumstances, seek or receive instructions or orders from a public or private authority, be it national or foreign, during the performance of their duties.
SEcTioN 6.- (1) Members of Elections Cameroon may not be prosecuted, investigated, arrested, detained or tried for their views expressed in the performance of their duties.
(2) Save in cases of flagrante delicto, members of Elections Cameroon may not be prosecuted during their tenure of office.
CHAPTER II
DUTIES
SEctioN 7.- (1) Elections Cameroon shall be responsible for the organization, management and supervision of election and referendum operations.
(2) In this respect, Elections Cameroon shall be vested with all the requisite powers to perform its duties.
CHAPTER III
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONING
Section 8.- Elections Cameroon shall perform its duties through the following organs: