Circular N°001/RDPC/CC/SG of 9 Jan 2020 on to the CPDM electoral campaign for Legislative and Municipal Elections of February 9, 2020

THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

A 

• Presidents of the Campaign Committees;
• All militants of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement.

1. INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS

According to the electoral law, the official campaign for the parliamentary and municipal elections of 9 February 2020 will run from 25 January 2020 to 8 February 2020.

We will take advantage of this period to complete the process of convincing our compatriots to vote massively in favour of the CPDM lists on 9 February, in a team spirit, with love and passion, in a skilful and efficient manner, following the high instructions of the National President, His Excellency Paul BIYA, and in the spirit of the circulars of the National President of 15 November 2019 relating to the nomination of CPDM candidates for the legislative and municipal elections, supplemented by the implementation note of the Secretary General of the Central Committee of 15 November 2019.

1. Team Spirit.

Campaigning in a team spirit means:

• working in tight formation, hand in hand, with attitudes and behaviours void of hatred, resentment or grudge ;
• integrate all good will into campaign teams;
• refuse all forms of exclusion, on the understanding that no positive contribution is too much or too little in an election campaign.

• Love and Passion

Campaigning with love and passion means:  

• on the one hand, not to undertake anything that could harm the CPDM candidates;
• on the other hand, demonstrate commitment, discipline, loyalty and fidelity to the party throughout the campaign and especially at the time of voting.  If this recommendation is valid for all the militants, it basically concerns the basis of the Party’s voters, which is made up of the Executives of the Party’s branch: sections, sub-sections, grassroots committees and cells of the CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM. It is up to them to set an example of love and passion during the campaign.

• Skilful Manner

Campaigningin a skilful manner entails:

• defining, before starting the campaign, a local campaign plan with a timeline;
• systematically go and meet all our compatriots, wherever they are, to mark the presence of the Party, to pass on its message and to make its candidates known;
• combine meetings and door-to-door actions, taking into account local specificities, time constraints and available material and financial resources;

• Efficient Manner

Campaigning in search of efficiency entails.

• doing nothing for nothing, doing nothing at random, not wasting energy unnecessarily and to act each time with a precise objective in mind;
• proceeding to a rational and relevant grid of municipalities by sector;
• setting up, in each sector, strong teams led by people with a good knowledge of the area;
• designating, as President of the Sector Campaign Committee, a comrade with genuine local influence;
• attributing and clarifying responsibilities in each team in order to prevent idleness;
• identifying targets and categorize them for efficient action;
• adapting the general orientations of the Party’s campaign to the local context through appropriate messages, actions and initiatives;
• ensuring the judicious, rational and transparent use of available material and financial resources;
• giving priority to actions of great proximity;
• being proactive and attentive to the movements of competitors

1. ORGANIZATION OF THE CAMPAIGN

In accordance with the provisions of this Circular, the CPDM election campaign shall cover three instances:

• before voting day which refers to the electoral campaign proper;
• on voting day;
• after the voting day which refers to the post-election period, until the official announcement of the results.
• THE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN PROPER

The electoral campaign proper shall take place in the field and in the media.

A.1/ ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN IN THE FIELD

In the field, CPDM teams shall go out to meet our compatriots to win their vote so as to expand the Party’s membership in municipal councils and the National Assembly.

They shall also go there to talk to them about the vision of the CPDM and the National President, President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul BIYA, in a troubled context where adverse winds and sirens of destabilization are whistling, to the point of creating doubt in the minds of the citizens.

The various animations of the CPDM electoral campaign during the twin elections of 9 February 2020 shall be as follows:

• Impetus, national coordination and general supervision:
• The National Campaign Committee;
• Regional follow-up :
• The Regional Campaign Committee ;
• Divisional Supervision:
• The Divisional Campaign Committee;
• Operationalization in the field;
• The Municipal Campaign Committee;
• The Sector Campaign Committee.

1. THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Constituted at the General Secretariat of the Central Committee, the National Campaign Committee shall be responsible, under the high authority of the National President, for the:

• national campaign strategy of the CPDM;
• national coordination and general supervision of the Party’s electoral campaign;
• national communication strategy for the campaign;
• general logistics;
• electoral litigation.

The National Campaign Committee shall comprise of:

• A President ;
• Vice-Presidents;
• Members ;
• a Technical Secretariat;
• thematic Sub-Committees:
• the Communication Sub-Committee;
• the Stewardship Sub- Committee;
• the Litigation Sub- Committee.
• the Logistics and Transport Sub-Committee;

At the end of the electoral operations, the President of the National Campaign Committee shall send a report to the National President.

• THE REGIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Established and holding in the regional capital, the Regional Campaign Committee shall be responsible for:

• boosting the animation of the CPDM electoral campaign in the region;
• monitoring the implementation of the national campaign strategy at the regional level;
• supervising the activities of the Divisional and Municipal Campaign Committees;
• coordinating the communication campaign in the media and social networks at regional level;
• relations with the administrative and judicial authorities, and those responsible for the ELECAM regional branch;
• supervising the voting procedures of CPDM voters in the region;
• centralization of results and forwarding to the headquarters of the Party;
• electoral litigations at the regional level.

The Regional Campaign Committee shall comprise the following:

• President :
• Head of Regional Permanent Delegation of the Central Committee or a person appointed by the Secretary General of the Central Committee.
• Vice-Presidents:
• Persons appointed by the Secretary General of the Central Committee;
• Members :
• Members of the Regional Permanent Delegation of the Central Committee ;
• Chargés de mission:
• Chargés de mission from the Regional Permanent Delegation of the Central Committee.

At the end of the process, the President of the Regional Campaign Committee shall send a report to the National Campaign Committee.

• THE DIVISIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE:

Established and holding in the Divisional Headquarter, the Divisional Campaign Committee shall be responsible for:

• boosting the animation of the CPDM electoral campaign in the at the Divisional level;
• coordinating and monitoring the CPDM campaign at the Divisional level;
• outreach campaign of the CPDM candidates for the legislative elections;
• communication campaign on social networks;
• support for Municipal Campaign Committees;
• relations with the administrative and judicial authorities of the Division and the ELECAM officials of the Divisional branch;
• designation of the CPDM representatives of the Divisional Supervisory Committee of the legislative elections;
• electoral litigations at the Divisional level.

The Divisional Campaign Committee shall comprise the following:

• President :
• Head of the Divisional Permanent Delegation of the Central Committee or a person apointed by the Secretary General of the Central Committee;
• Vice-Presidents :
• Persons appointed by the Secretary General of the Central Committee;
• Members :
• Members of the Divisional Permanent Delegation of the Central Committee;
• Party candidates for the Legislative election;
• Chargés de mission
• Chargés de mission from the Divisional Permanent Delegation of the Central Committee.

At the end of the process, the President of the Divisional Campaign Committee shall send a report to the National Campaign Committee through the Regional Campaign Committee. 

• THE MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Established and operating in the municipality, the Municipal Campaign Committee shall be responsible for the following:

• monitoring of voting operations in the municipality;
• local electoral campaign in view of the election of CPDM Parliamentarians and Municipal Councillors;
• relations with local administrative authorities as well as ELECAM officials of the municipal branch;
• establishment of campaign zones;
• constitution of teams of Sector Campaign Committees;
• designation of CPDM representative in the Municipal Supervisory Committee;
• designation of CPDM representatives at the polling stations and their support on voting day;
• supervision of CPDM voters the day before as well as the voting day;
• monitoring vote counting operations and results pertaining to the CPDM;
• monitoring of competitors on the day before voting, on voting day and during vote counting operations;
• electoral disputes at municipal level.

The following, shall make up the Municipal Campaign Committee:

• President:
• The CPDM Section President or a person appointed by the Secretary General of the Central Committee ;
• Vice-Presidents:
• Members of the Central Committee of the jurisdiction;
• Members of the National Executives of the WCPDM and the YCPDM of the jurisdiction;
• CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM Sections Presidents;
• Parliamentarians of the jurisdiction;
• CPDM militants who are traditional leaders of the jurisdiction;
• CPDM militants who are heads of public or private companies;
• Members:
• CPDM candidates for the election of municipal councillors;
• Members of the National Executives of the CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM Sections of the Jurisdiction;
• CPDM militants who are young businessmen and women,
• CPDM militants who are internal and external elites of the jurisdiction;
• Appointed persons by the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee;
• Chargés de mission:
• Militants appointed by the Secretary General of the Central Committee.

At the end of the process, the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee shall send a report to the Divisional Campaign Committee before transmitting to the National Campaign Committee. 

• THE SECTOR CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

For efficiency purpose of the local electoral campaign, the municipality shall be organized in sectors.

In urban areas, the sector shall cover a quarter and, in rural areas, it shall cover a group or a village. The Sector Campaign Committee shall be responsible for the following:

• close contact electoral campaign;
• monitoring of voting operations in the sector;
• support CPDM representatives at the polling stations in the sector on voting day;
• if necessary, assist CPDM voters with regard to the withdrawal of voter’s cards and supervise them the day before as well as on voting day;
• monitoring vote counting operations and results pertaining to the CPDM in the polling stations in the sector;
• monitoring of competitors on the day before voting, on voting day and during vote counting operations in the sector.

The following, shall make up the Sector Campaign Committee:

• President:
• CPDM Militants, Group Head or a person appointed by the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee;
• Vice-Presidents:
• CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM Sub-sections Presidents of the sector;
• 3^rd Class traditional rulers who are CPDM militants of the sector;
• Members:
• CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM Sub-sections Executives of the sector;
• CPDM candidates for the election of municipal councillors of the sector;
• CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM Party Branch Presidents and Executives of the sector;
• CDPC militants who are quarter and block Heads of the sector;
• CPDM militants who are external and internal elites of the sector;
• Persons appointed by the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee;
• Chargés de mission :
• Persons appointed by the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee.

If necessary and in order to get as close as possible to the populations, sub-sectors can be set up in certain quarters and villages. The organization of the sub-sectors shall be the joint responsibility of the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee and the President of the Sector Campaign.

At the end of the process, the President of the Sector Campaign Committee shall send a report to the President of the Municipal Campaign Committee together with the results of the sector’s polling stations.

A.2/ ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN IN THE MEDIA AND ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

Electoral campaign in the media and on social networks is a determining factor in the broad victory sought after by the CPDM candidates. It will be carried out in a skilful, talented and efficient manner. Besides, it will be done at the national and local levels and carried out by committed and persuasive men, women and youths. It will be original, powerful and attractive. It shall be coordinated by the Sub-Committee for Communication, acting in close collaboration with the Regional Campaign Committee.

It shall be responsible for the following:

• preparing the Secretary General of the Central Committee’s speeches at the opening and closing of the official radio and television campaign;
• providing support regarding communication to campaign teams in the field and providing them with the required information, data and point of view to convince voters;
• management of public audiovisual media spaces reserved for the CPDM;
• represent the CPDM during debates organized on radio and television channels;
• publication of articles in newspapers;
• occupation of social networks in a dynamic, proactive and offensive manner, in conjunction with the local Campaign Committees.

• VOTING DAY

February 9^th, 2020, voting day, is of particular importance and focus to the campaign teams, especially to the Municipal Campaign Committees and the Sector Campaign Committees.

Hence, special attention will be given to:

• CPDM representatives’ arrival at the polling stations before they open, their effective presence in the premises during the voting period as well as their supervision. Party representatives should be appointed at the polling stations from among experienced, dedicated, committed and loyal activists;
• the rapid voting of members of the Campaign Committees as well as CPDM, WCPDM, YCPDM basic organs Executives as many as possible before all the other voters, in order to stimulate a positive effect on all the voters;
• the effective voting of clearly identified CPDM voters in order to increase the voter turnout;
• discipline of CPDM voters;
• votes counting control and the withdrawal of results at the polling stations in the area. The results shall be transmitted to the National Campaign Committee through hierarchical channels, three days following the elections;
• reporting of malfunctions and offences committed by competitors.

• AFTER VOTING DAY

The Regional, Divisional and Municipal Campaign Committees shall remain busy until the official proclamation of results, through the Presidents of the Committees and the Chargés de mission who shall be active until the close of electoral operations. During this period, the Committees and candidates concerned shall stay in touch with the Litigation Sub-Committees of the National Campaign Committee.

1. MISCELLANEOUS AND FINAL PROVISIONS

• In order to guarantee the effectiveness of the CPDM electoral campaign, we will ensure a substantial allocation of human, material and financial resources to the main operational level of the campaign, in this case the Sector Campaign Committee, and the organs responsible for communication.
• In addition to the resources made available to campaign teams by the Central Committee, elites and people of good will are encouraged to support the campaign effort at all levels.
• Special care must be taken with locally produced election campaign documents intended for public display. Such documents must comply with the standards set by ELECAM and shall be displayed according to the regulations in force.
• Better than in the past, the candidates nominated on the Party lists shall be fully involved, physically and materially in the electoral campaign and shall mobilize family members, friends and various other relatives wherever they may be. They shall stay away from isolated initiatives aimed at promoting only themselves to the detriment of the entire list. Consequently, they cannot lead any Campaign Committees.
• In the field, the Sector Campaign Committees shall be mainly devoted to the local campaign. As for the organization of meetings whenever necessary, shall be the responsibility of the Regional, Divisional and Municipal Campaign Committees.
• After the official proclamation of results and the close of the electoral litigation, a text from the Secretary General of the Central Committee shall set out the operating framework of CPDM municipal councillors in view of the election of municipal executives.

The Presidents of the Regional, Divisional and Municipal Campaign Committees, as well as the Sector Campaign Presidents are all responsible for ensuring the strict implementation of the provisions of this Circular. /-

                                                                                Yaounde, the 09 January, 2020

                                             The Secretary General of the Central Committee,

                                                                                     Jean NKUETE

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