VZCZCXRO8728
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0202/01 1010709
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100709Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0265
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1255
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0330

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000202 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W DBANKS 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: ELECTORAL PROCESS IN TURMOIL 
 
REF: (A) COTONOU 201 (B) COTONOU 104 (C) COTONOU 43 (D) 07 COTONOU 
 
817 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: To mark the second anniversary of President Yayi's 
rule, deputies from his political coalition Force Cowry for an 
Emerging Benin (FCBE) took stock on April 5-6 of the political 
situation.  They asked the government to suspend immediately the 
electoral process after the arrest of eleven (11) 
opposition-affiliated members of the National Independent Electoral 
Commission (CENA) who were accused of misappropriating 50,000 blank 
voter identification cards. The CENA released a public announcement 
acknowledging the responsibility of the accused. On April 8 all 
eleven (11) were acquitted, but the GOB appealed the decision. 
Following talks between the GOB and CENA, the GOB dropped its bid to 
reschedule the April 20 election, and CENA officially launched the 
electoral campaign ten days before the election as required by law. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) To mark the second anniversary of President Boni Yayi's 
administration, deputies of the pro-Yayi FCBE coalition gathered in 
a two-day workshop, April 5-6 to assess political and economic 
progress since 2006. The FCBE deputies released a declaration that 
outlined the main irregularities that have marred the electoral 
process. These include fraudulent withdrawal of voting materials on 
a large scale, opaque management of the CENA, illegal and hasty 
recruitment of 280 workers all affiliated with the Renaissance du 
Benin party (RB), and CENA's failure to follow proper procedures for 
ordering voter cards (Ref A). The deputies also criticized the 
CENA's president for his passive attitude in the face of all the 
irregularities recorded during the voter registration process. 
 
¶3. (U) FCBE deputies demanded the immediate suspension of the 
electoral process, the resignation of the members of CENA's board, 
the examination of CENA's management by the Supreme Court and the 
re-start of the voter's registration process. 
 
¶4. (U) The CENA set up an internal investigative committee to look 
into the case. On April 5 and 6, CENA's members held a plenary 
session and issued a public announcement based on the findings of 
the investigative committee. The investigative committee's report 
rejected the hypothesis of voter card misappropriation. However, it 
acknowledged that the cards were taken from the CENA's headquarter 
by a non-authorized official. In the announcement, CENA's members 
recognized the illegal act of their colleagues. They reiterated 
commitment to securing free and fair elections and called on the 
support of the Beninese citizens, the civil society and political 
leaders in fighting electoral fraud. 
 
¶5. (U) RB party leaders denied their involvement in the 50,000 voter 
cards affair and accused President Yayi's FCBE of plotting against 
them to demoralize the party and jeopardize the whole electoral 
process. In reply, the FCBE group demanded the immediate suspension 
of the electoral process and the dismissal of CENA's members. They 
threatened to boycott the polls if the government did not satisfy 
their claims. 
 
¶6. (U) During a 24-hour trial attended by political leaders and 
supporters, the court of Cotonou amended the charge of fraud 
retained against the eleven accused. The court charged them with 
attempts to alter voter registry and finally released them, because 
the government was unable to produce proof of the allegation. The 
government via the public prosecutor challenged the ruling, and the 
eleven accused are expected to go back to court on April 11. 
 
¶7. (U) On April 8, three ministers (the Minister in Charge of the 
Relations with the Institutions, Spokesman of the government; the 
Minister of Decentralization, Local Authority and Planning; and the 
Minister of Economy and Finance) held talks with CENA's president. A 
few hours after that visit, the FCBE group reconsidered its stand 
and decided to participate in the April 20 local elections, and the 
CENA launched the official start of the campaign. 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: Apparently in response to potentially adverse 
voter reaction to another postponement, the GOB maintained the April 
20 date for local elections. However, the situation sparked mixed 
reactions as some political leaders spoke in favor of a postponement 
to ensure a peaceful climate, whereas others favored a continuation 
of the process. A well-informed lawyer told Post that judges 
belonging to the Benin National Union of Magistrates (UNAMAB) and 
who are unfavorable to President Yayi's policy tried the eleven 
people. This cast serious doubts on the objectivity and fairness of 
the court's verdict and explains the government's appeal. Whatever 
the outcome of the appeal, the elections, if held, may spark 
extended claims and result in a low voter turnout. The elections 
could also cause social unrest if political leaders do not find a 
speedy way to reassure citizens and to restore confidence in the 
electoral process, having seen the elections postponed from February 
 
COTONOU 00000202  002 OF 002 
 
 
17 to April 13 and finally to April 20 (Refs B and C). END COMMENT. 
BROWN