Media Capacity-building: Those Empowered Votes That Truly Count

“Everyone has a role to play in the successful conduct of elections because it is important to make the democratic process as transparent as possible… Election time is a very important time for journalists in every country because they are faced with a lot of disinformation and misinformation. This is where the role of journalists comes in,” the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, His Excellency Matt Woods aptly captured the essence. 

Giving Voice To Each Vote
As he spoke in Yaounde on Wednesday January 29, 2025 at the opening of a three-day workshop. On “Fostering electoral participation: Empowering every vote,” sponsored by his diplomatic mission. And organized by Actions for Development and Empowerment, ADE and Community Solutions Media, CSM. In collaboration with Elections Cameroon, Elecam.

Right Information, Informed Choice
“I was in the company of Elections Cameroon, Elecam, Actions for Development and Community Solutions Media. They all had roles to play in discussing and ensuring that people feel encouraged to participate in elections based on the right information provided to them. It was therefore about providing the right information for people to make informed choices. The workshop offered journalists the opportunity to put heads together to see how they can collaborate with us in future,” the High Commissioner explained. 

Don’t Stoke Conflict! 
“We appealed to the consciences of journalists to realize that their reports hold the future of Cameroon. Elections should strengthen development and democracy, not plunge the country into chaos. Elecam is open to share information with journalists. We expect peace to reign before, during and after this year’s elections,” said Mr. Enow Dickson, Technical Adviser at Elections Cameroon, who opened the workshop. 

Environment For Credible Polls  
“Covering elections is a two-side coin. Journalists should take personal responsibility to ensure development and peace after elections. Because any trouble will also affect them directly or indirectly,” he cautioned. “Elecam is only a facilitator of the electoral process. Journalists are stakeholders we work with because they provide the right information to the public. If the public is starved of information, it could result in chaos. We would like the media to always come to Elecam for the right information. This is how we can create the environment for credible, free and fair elections,” Mr. Enow noted. 

Indispensable Partners  
According to him, the public needs to know that each Cameroonian has the right to register and vote to choose whom they want to lead them. “Voting means participation in development, governance and democracy. Journalists are indispensable partners to Elecam because we cannot communicate without them,” Mr. Enow Dickson underscored. 

Listen To Marginalized Voices! 
ADE Executive Director, Ndi Nancy Saiboh, underscored the key role of journalists in covering elections by ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are heard. “Journalists are often trapped by the propaganda of politicians during elections. There is also a lot of disinformation and misinformation which is detrimental to the electoral process and can tarnish Cameroon’s democracy. 

Keep Abreast!
“As watchdogs of society, journalists have as duty to ensure that voters make informed choices as to whom their next leader should be. Election time is not time for journalists to do normal articles. Rather, they need to keep abreast latest electoral requirements to properly do their work,” Sah Terence Animbom, Country Director, Community Media Solutions, noted.

Disinformation, Misinformation
Meanwhile facilitators of the workshop were Dr Moki Stephen Mokondo, Eugene Nforngwa, Sah Terence Animbom and Donald Tchiengue. The modules discussed included “Understanding the electoral process in Cameroon” and the activities prior to elections; t...