Citizens willing to dig into own pockets to fund election

Amid worries that a cash crunch could delay Benin’s presidential elections set for March, trade unions, concerned individuals and parties across the political spectrum are digging into their own pockets to help fund the poll. One of the first to offer a donation was Albert Tevoedjre, Beninese former head of the UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire, who during a TV show this month promised to contribute one million CFA francs (US $1,850) for a special account launched by a group of NGOs called the Republican Coalition for Citizens’ Action (CRAC). “This is a public action to save democracy,” said Reckya Madougou, from an NGO involved in the coalition. And as CRAC launched its three-million CFA franc ($5,550) election support fund, 13 political parties from across the spectrum set up their own coalition entitled “The Collective of Political Parties In Favour of Holding the Presidential Election on Schedule.” “Benin’s democracy is in danger,” said Sylvain Akindes of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress, which is close to President Mathieu Kerekou. “Benin’s future is at stake.” The president’s second term as head of state is set to expire at the beginning of April and he has promised to respect the constitution by not seeking a third mandate. But government claims late last year of a funding shortage for the elections fuelled fears that the president would put off the vote. Even trade unions joined the pro-election fight, with a newly formed teachers’ federation this month adding the following statement to their charter: “We are ready to go to prison to press our demands and to ensure the elections are held on schedule.” Kerekou has pledged elections will go ahead as planned, but has said that because of the country’s financial woes, the government would have to cut corners in order to keep expenses down. “I am well and truly organising the 2006 election but without the new census and no more than 2.8 billion CFA francs ($5 million) in salaries and bonuses,” the president said last month. The salaries and bonuses in question are those owed to members of key bodies such as relevant government ministries, the Supreme Court, and the national electoral commission. But some of those who will be affected by the measure see it as an acceptable price to pay to maintain the country’s reputation as a model for democracy in West Africa. “We are ready to organise the elections even with zero francs in salaries,” said Sylvain Nouwatin, president of the National Election Commission (CENA), which has also halved its proposed budget. “The key thing is for the necessary funding to be put at our disposal.” The CENA this week announced that preparations for the much-awaited polls were going ahead, if with a little delay. Benin’s voters from next week, 21 January, will be able to pick up their voting cards and register on the electoral roll at more than 7,000 registration centres - an operation that will end on 6 February. So far some 30 people have applied to run for the country’s top job. Meanwhile the country’s trade union confederation last week issued a 24 January ultimatum to the government to hand over the funds needed for the election to the CENA, or face trouble. “There is no question of helping with the citizens’ fund,” said trade union leader Guillaume Attigbe, insisting that as people paid taxes it was up to the government alone to fund the poll. Benin, rated by the UN as one of the world’s 20 poorest countries, has been hit hard by the growing imbalance in the value of exports like cotton and imports like petrol. And the continued presence of 20,000 refugees who fled neighbouring Togo’s political violence earlier this year is placing an additional strain on state coffers.