Minister fired for election delay

President Biya has delayed voting for one week

Cameroon's President Paul Biya has sacked his interior minister after having to postpone parliamentary and municipal elections, which were scheduled to start on Sunday.

Ferdinand Koungou Edima was accused of failing to prepare the vote properly after the state-run printing press had not finished producing the ballots.

If elections were to take place as planned, I think we would have seen fighting in some parts of the country

Election observer Diane Acha Mofor

The head of the Cameroon Printing and Publishing Corporation was also replaced by one of his subordinates when it became known that the ballot papers were not ready for the 4.5 million registered voters.

But queues had already started to form outside polling stations in the capital, Yaounde, and balloting had begun in some regions when it was announced that the election would be delayed by one week.

Political violence

Observers and government critics said the postponement could have more to do with fear of trouble in English-speaking provinces near Cameroon's border with Nigeria.

At least 10 people were injured in political violence last week and more clashes were feared.

Diane Acha Mofor, vice-president of the country's National Elections Observatory, told the Reuters news agency: "If elections were to take place as planned, I think we would have seen fighting in some parts of the country.

"So I think the president took the decision because of 'force majeure'."

She said many irregularities had been witnessed, including non-distribution of voting cards and the rejection of opposition candidate lists in constituencies around the country, saying it had all contributed to the mounting tension.

Tazoacha Asonganji, secretary general of the main opposition Social Democratic Front, said: "It is proof again, with immediacy, that Mr Biya is not democratic."

Government confidence

President Biya, who took over power from his late predecessor in 1982, wants to increase his majority in parliament where his Cameroon People's Democratic Movement has 116 of 180 members.

Voters will also elect 336 mayors in elections scheduled for 2001 which have already been delayed twice by logistical problems.

Cameroon is home to people from about 250 ethnic groups who are also divided along religious and language lines.

The English-speaking minority - about 20% of Cameroon's 15 million people - claim to be treated as second-class citizens and have been lobbying for autonomy or secession.