The president of the Permanent Framework for consultation, exchanges and monitoring of the electoral process, Mohamed Abdoulwahab, in a press briefing held yesterday, Thursday, November 9, reported on the progress recorded within the framework of the work of this structure, four months later its implementation. The former president of the island of Ngazidja affirms that the members of the Cpcespe have obtained, from the President of the Republic, guarantees in particular on the abandonment of the sponsorship system and the 12-month residence period, but also the withdrawal of proxies. He also announced the expansion of the structure to members of the pro-election Common Front and those of the presidential movement.
The Permanent Framework for consultation, exchange and monitoring of the electoral process (Cpcespe), made up of representatives of the presidential movement, the opposition and civil society, held its second meeting with the press, four months after its input function. Its president, Mohamed Abdoulwahab, took stock of the evolution of the work carried out by his body in the context of the 2024 elections. He underlined “the progress” that he and his colleagues “continue to make for credible, transparent elections and accepted by all. Among these advances, he cited “the adoption of a resolution with 12 points, of which it is not necessary to list them all here”.
The abandonment of sponsorship signatures
And he immediately notes the essential elements which, according to him, have enabled us to move forward. In particular the abandonment of sponsorship signatures. “For a simple reason: the initiation of sponsorship should respect the conditions resulting from a presidential decree. As the implementing decree presented technical difficulties in being adopted, we thought it was much more appropriate to drop this sponsorship formula,” he explained. And added: “Before the President of the Republic, we raised this question. We won our case. Because the president has committed that sponsorship will not be required among the documents to be provided.
The former president of the island of Ngazidja also indicated that, well before the commitment of the Head of State, three members of the government appeared before the consultation framework to reassure on this subject. “Why are we raising this issue today? This is because certain hearsay casts doubt on the document provided by the Ceni [Independent National Electoral Commission] which bears the mention: the documents to be attached having mentioned sponsorship,” he said, explaining that it was completely normal for the Ceni to mention it given that this sponsorship was one of the documents to be provided, according to the electoral law.
Among the other victories that Mohamed Abdoulwahab puts to the credit of the consultation framework, it is firstly the cancellation of the requirement relating to permanent residence of 12 months in Ngazidja, preceding the submission of candidacy. “We realized that the electoral law was only promulgated in March this year. From March to November, that’s 8 months. There is no possibility that someone who claims to go to the elections could end up in the Comoros after the promulgation of this law and complete the 12 months,” he explained.
Secondly, he cited the opposition displayed by the members of the consultation framework and until proven otherwise shared by the Head of State, against the use of voting proxies. According to Me Abdoulwahab, the President of the Republic would agree on this question.
Likewise, among the 12 points of the adopted resolution would appear the thorny question of securing elections. “I want to tell you that at this moment, we have not yet decided on definitive positions. Especially when it comes to securing election day itself. In particular the presence of the military,” he admitted.
According to him, the boss of the Ceni would have just mentioned work relating to the security of electoral materials, during its importation, storage and surveillance. “He did not invent anything, because it is a provision of the law which reassures us. We now have to figure out how to secure the polling stations. The law is clear: no soldiers in polling stations and even in the environment that would allow pressure to be used,” he said, before continuing with this statement: “We will fight to ensure that this does not happen. be not just the law, let it be effective.” Another achievement claimed by the president of the consultation framework is the release of prisoners obtained after the first meeting between the latter and the President of the Republic.
“We thanked the initiative taken to pardon nearly 8 to 9 detainees who were serving prison sentences, in line with the request made by all the members of the consultation framework. Particularly those in the opposition,” he rejoiced. Before concluding: “As we have had some achievements, we wanted to express our gratitude to the President of the Republic. We have good faith that the Head of State will continue this path of conciliation.