Following the handing of the first consignment of electoral kits by the German Company, Giesecke and Devrient to Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) officials early last week, training on the use of the kits for the conduct of biometric voters registration started on Friday, August 17 in Yaounde. Officials of Giesecke and Devrient, the technical partner in the conduct of the biometric recompilation of voters register in the country, headed by the Project Manager, Andreas Walther trained ELECAM personnel who will supervise the entire training and subsequent registration process. The recompilation exercise of electoral register is complex and needs to be properly understood.

What is biometric recompilation?

The biometric recompilation of the electoral register in Cameroon is government's option taken to ensure more transparency and credibility in future elections. It consists in undertaking registration of voters afresh. Using biometric registration simply means that there are certain biological elements which are used such as finger prints and thumbs the machine can detect. The technology is used to verify the authenticity of voters.

Who is suppose to carry out the recompilation?

The harmonised electoral code enacted into law on April 19, 2012 states that the elections governing body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) has to carry out the biometric recompilation of the electoral register. For the process that will start in September, ELECAM is being assisted technically by the German firm, Giesecke and Devrient.

What training for officials?

Giesecke and Devrient officials headed by the Project Manager, Andreas Walther trained ELECAM senior staff who will supervise the training of other personnel and the recompilation exercise last August 17 in Yaounde. From the first week of September 2012, the training of trainers that will last for week one will be carried out. The trainers will in turn train the administrators and operators of the electoral kits. The kits are machines manufactured and adapted for the exercise.

When will the recompilation exercise start?

The biometric recompilation of the electoral register will start towards the end of September 2012, following press declarations by the Director General of Elections in ELECAM, Mohaman Sani Tanimou and the Chairman of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Dr Fonkam Azu'u Samuel. This will be immediately after the training of the administrators and operators of the electoral kits. The Unit Head of Organisation and Follow-up in ELECAM who is also the focal point for the training, Dr Thaddeus Menang revealed that all the training should be over by September 20. The Director General of Elections is expected to publish the calendar when the time comes.

How many kits will be used?

The German firm Giesecke and Devrient has to provide 1200 electoral kits. The kits will be used by 2400 operators nationwide to register voters. This means that two operators will be assigned to one kit. The partitioning of the kits per council area will take into account the population strength.

How to solve problem of power supply?

The electoral kits have been adapted to use power generators in areas that do not have electricity. The operators will be trained on how to use them in such conditions.

How will data from the field be processed?

Data collected at the level of ELECAM Council and Divisional branches will be assembled and verified at regional centres. This will be done by trained personnel to run the hubs. After this, the data will be transferred to the central production site in Yaounde equipped with servers, Dr Thaddeus Menang disclosed during the training of supervisors in Yaounde. Personnel to work in the central production site will be trained on how the whole system operates so as to be able to intervene at the various levels with the data bank servers and system for comparing finger prints.

When do political parties intervene?

The electoral code states that political parties will have to send representatives to the joint voters registration commissions and those to establish and distribute voters cards. While waiting for the start of the recompilation process, political leaders have to educate and mobilise their supporters and members to register.