By Synthia Lateu
Opposition party , the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) has denounced the United Nations’ collaboration with Cameroon’s elections body, Elecam, saying the move makes the UN complicit in any pre-electoral, electoral, or post-electoral fraud that could undermine the credibility of the upcoming presidential election.
In a statement published on its president, Maurice Kamto ‘s Facebook page on May 14, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) said it learned of the signing of a “collaboration agreement” between Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) and the United Nations Organisation (UNO) through social media. The agreement was signed on May 9, 2025, in Yaoundé.
The statement criticized the exclusion of political parties—key stakeholders in the electoral process—from the preparation and signing of the agreement.
“The CRM observes that several days after the signing of this convention, neither ELECAM nor UN officials felt the need to make any communication on this event,” it stated.
“We still have no idea of the content of this agreement, which will apply to the upcoming presidential election, for which the electoral body will be convened in a few weeks.”
The statement warned that the lack of transparency and inclusiveness surrounding the agreement could lead to further instability in Cameroon.
CRM went on to accuse the UN of legitimizing what he called “one of the continent’s most repressive and undemocratic regimes,” stating that by signing the agreement, the UN is effectively endorsing the current government and would bear responsibility for any electoral malpractice.
The party also emphasized that the UN is fully aware of the context in which the agreement was signed, noting that the CRM, along with other political parties and civil society organizations, had previously raised alarms over the deteriorating state of the country’s electoral system.
It cited the government and ELECAM’s consistent refusal to address key issues such as reforming the Electoral Code, and the persistent violation of existing electoral laws, most notably the failure to publish the national electoral list, in breach of Article 80 of the Electoral Code.
” All this is taking place against a backdrop of repression of public freedoms, in particular through the systematic banning or disruption of meetings and demonstrations by opposition political parties,” the statement read.
The CRM further drew parallels with the UN’s involvement in the 2010 post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, which, it said, resulted in one of the deadliest political conflicts of the 21st century in Africa. Kamto’s party warned that similar international missteps in Cameroon could have equally devastating consequences.
