Financing Election Campaigns:

Gov’t Shares Out Fcfa 1.7bn to Political Parties
-Representatives of political parties participating in the 9 February elections started cashing their campaign money on Wednesday at the Minat cash counter.
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde 

Gov’t has financed the campaigns of political parties

In accordance with provisions of section 285 of Law N°2012/001 on the electoral code as amended and supplemented by Law N°2012/O17 of December 21, 2012 which states in its section 284 that “the State shall contribute to the funding of election campaigns by defraying some expenses of political parties or candidates,” government has through the Ministry of Territorial Administration disbursed the first installment of funds to assist campaigns of political parties participating in the upcoming 9 February 2020 municipal and legislative polls. 
    The disbursement started Wednesday 29 January 2020. The sum of FCFA 850 million would be shared to representatives of 58 political parties taking part in the twin elections by the MINAT boss, Paul Atanga Nji who doubles as government’s agent to electoral process.
    Speaking in a press conference prior to the disbursement at the Ministry, Atanga Nji, disclosed that a total of FCFA 1700 million will be shared in two installments; half during campaigns and the other half after publication of results.
    He indicated that the Ministry had to wait for the official list of those to participate from ELECAM which was done only after the verdict of the Administration Bench of the Supreme Court was passed on some complaints that were tabled before them by parties.

    He added that only political parties that have elected representatives in the twin polls will benefit from the second installment to be done after the proclamation of results.
    The envelope of the ruling CPDM party running for both elections was collected by the party’s treasurer, Gilbert Tsimi Evouna, after collecting revealed disbursement was timely and will go a long way in their campaigns. He however refused disclosing the amount that was all0cated for them. Representatives of other parties also trooped into the ministry to get their envelopes. The disbursement comes four days after the official launch of campaigns ahead of the elections. Leaders of political parties had already started complaining of the non-respect of the law few days into the campaigns.