YAOUNDE—Voter registration began nationwide last week, but only in principle.

In Yaounde, several registration centres were not ready and there were talks of confusion in other parts of the country.

It is Elections Cameroon’s first experience with the process.

But the election organ takes up the exercise against a history of mistrust, stemming from complaints of selective registration in the past.

Much clamoured measures like on-the-spot delivery of voter cards are still not in place and it remains to be seen how enthusiastic voters would be.

ELECAM hopes to double the registration numbers of the ministry of territorial administration.

It is also the controversial organ’s biggest test of credibility.

Since its creation, ELECAM has been fraught with doubts about the fairness of its members, who are mostly former members of the governing CPDM.

The next voting is a little over a year away and the registration process is expected to reflect how ELECAM would handle the presidential poll in 2011.

Analysts say unless it can pull off at least eight million voters, it would have failed a crutial test.

Already, opposition parties are not rushing to send representatives to registration centres fearing it would amount to endorsing a farce.

Registration is only starting now because the organ spent many months recruiting field staff and setting up field offices.

It should run until the eve of elections, the next big task being the delivery of voter cards.

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