With the Constitutional Council confirming the final list of 12 presidential candidates, Cameroon now moves into the next phase, tightly regulated stages of its electoral calendar, from campaign preparations to the nationwide vote on Oct. 12.
The Constitutional Council has closed the chapter on candidacy disputes, issuing its final and binding decision on the contenders for the October 12 presidential election. The ruling marks the start of a series of steps set out in the Electoral Code to ensure an orderly, transparent vote. Under Section 10 of the code, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) must now publish and notify the official list of candidates. The body will also begin printing ballot papers in each candidate’s chosen colour, with initials matching those that will appear on campaign materials.
Candidates and parties are expected to finalise their manifestos, posters and circulars, which must be submitted to ELECAM for approval before distribution. Section 89 bars any material that calls for violence or threatens national unity.
The official campaign period will open on Sept. 27, exactly 15 days before the election, and will end at midnight on Oct. 11, according to Section 87. During this period, candidates may hold rallies and public meetings, provided they notify local administrative authorities and ELECAM in advance. Meetings on public highways require special authorisation under Section 95. If authorities believe public order is at risk, they may ban anevent but must propose an alternative date or venue. Campaign rules also restrict where posters can be displayed. Section 91 requires councils to provide authorised spaces, and no campaign material may be distributed on polling day, Oct. 12.
Meanwhile, ELECAM will complete the list of polling stations with a maximum of 500 voters per station and continue distributing biometric voter cards under the supervision of local commissions. Voter cards can still be collected up to and on polling day, but only by the legal holder presenting a national ID card. On Oct. 12, voting will take place across the country in a single day. Polling stations will open and close at times set by the presidential decree convening electors. Only registered voters assigned to each station will be allowed to vote, and they must present both a voter card and a national identity card.
Counting will begin immediately after the close of polls, with results moving from Local Polling Commissions to Divisional Supervisory Commissions, and finally to the National Commission for the Final Counting of Votes at the Constitutional Council. The Constitutional Council’s role in deciding candidacies is over. The next stage is to ensure a fair, peaceful and transparent campaign.
Jude Viban
