Cameroon votes amid accusations of electoral flaws

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Cameroon's 5.6 million registered voters on Monday elected a new parliament and municipal councils, amid accusations of a flawed electoral process.
The ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, the main opposition Social Democratic Front and 41 other parties are contesting 180 seats in parliament, as well as 360 municipal council posts.
The polls are expected to confirm the ruling party's strong parliamentary majority.
Voting took place peacefully in the West African nation, which is rich in oil and cocoa. However, numerous opposition politicians and voters at polling stations across the capital, Yaounde, reported errors in the electoral roll.
``I noticed that there was confusion in the routing of ballot papers. I was supposed to vote in section Yaounde IV, but the ballot papers for Yaounde V were at my polling station", said one voter, Serge Tientcheu, who was unable cast his vote due to the mix-up.
At other polling stations in the capital, voters said they were not listed on the electoral roll although they had registered. Others said they recognised the names of deceased persons on the list.
``We all know that the ruling party makes already dead persons 'vote' to inflate the results in its favour. I am not surprised to see the names of dead persons on electoral rolls," said Denis Atangana, an opposition candidate for a municipal post.
Other witnesses claimed the ink used to mark the thumbs of those who have voted was not permanent at polling stations in the ruling party's strongholds.
``In every election, we denounce the absence of marking ink. It is one method used by the ruling party to falsify the results of the elections by making his members vote several times," Maurice Kamto, leader of opposition party Movement for the Renaissance, told dpa.
President Paul Biya, 80, who has been in power for more than three decades, also stands accused of manipulating the voting timetable to ensure victory for his party, which currently holds the majority of parliamentary seats.
Biya, who was re-elected in 2011, has postponed the elections on three occasions since last year.
Polling stations were to close at 1800 GMT. 

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