VZCZCXRO1352
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0186/01 1311327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111327Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0905
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1436
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0438

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000186 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W ACOOK 
LONDON FOR PETER LORD 
PARIS FOR BKANEDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: DEPUTIES PASS BILLS ON THE PERMANENT COMPUTERIZED 
VOTER REGISTRY (LEPI) 
 
REF: COTONOU 124 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: National Assembly deputies set the legal framework 
for the Permanent Computerized Voter Registry (LEPI) by adopting two 
bills necessary for its implementation. President Yayi is expected 
to promulgate the bill to allow the start of the LEPI. The elements 
for the implementation of the LEPI are in place, except for funding. 
The GOB depends heavily on Technical and Financial Partners' (TFPs) 
contributions to proceed with the LEPI. TFPs have not yet raised the 
entire estimated USD 32 million budgeted for implementation.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Deputies approved Permanent Computerized 
Voter Registry (LEPI) project 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On May 4, Deputies approved by majority vote a bill on the 
design of the LEPI and on the National Extended Electoral Census 
(RENA). The approved bill on the implementation of the LEPI contains 
52 articles providing the administrative, technical and legal 
framework for the LEPI. The RENA will allow citizens from age 8, who 
do not possess birth certificates, to be issued them during public 
outreach sessions coordinated by the Ministry of Justice. In 
addition, citizens should be at least 12-years old to be registered 
on the LEPI because updating will be performed every ten years. The 
LEPI bill also provides for the creation of an Independent Mission 
for National Autonomous Census (MIRENA), a technical agency that 
will be responsible for designing the LEPI. According to Helene 
Aholou Keke, the President of the National Assembly's Committee on 
Law, the LEPI is designed to reinforce the credibility of Benin's 
electoral process through reducing the practice of electoral fraud 
likely to spark electoral violence. 
 
¶3. (U) Prior to the adoption of this bill, on April 27, National 
Assembly deputies examined and, after heated debate, unanimously 
approved the bill on the protection of personal data in the Republic 
of Benin, which is a prerequisite for the design of the LEPI. The 
bill is meant to secure voters' personal information in order to 
reduce the risk of the fraudulent use of biometric details. Deputies 
also proposed a National Computer and Public Liberties Committee 
that would supervise personal data collection efforts on the ground. 
The two approved bills are expected to expedite the implementation 
of the LEPI so as to meet the deadline of March 2011. However, 
President Yayi will need to sign the bills into law for their actual 
application. It is noteworthy that a network of Civil Society 
organizations, group FORS LEPI, lobbied for the adoption of the bill 
in the parliament. 
 
--------------------------------- 
GOB awaits Technical and Financial 
Partners' assistance but... 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) During an April 23 meeting attended by Poloff at the UNDP 
office in Cotonou, TFPs expressed concerns regarding four main 
issues related to the bill on the LEPI. First, the requirement 
imposed by the GOB that the fingerprints be ten-prints rather than 
the original left thumb will extend operation time. Second, the 
decision to hire three-member teams rather than two will imply 
provision of additional kits as they will need more door-to door 
teams to work in the compressed time frame.  Third, the decision to 
take the census of citizens aged 8 rather than citizens aged 10 as 
mentioned in the initial report will increase the number of people 
to register and likely require an extension of the deadline. Fourth, 
the proposed registration of Beninese Diaspora as part of the RENA 
will add complexity to the process. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Technical and Financial Partners concerns stemmed from the 
fact that the requirements contained in the bills would incur a 
substantial increase in the budget for the LEPI. It was pointed out 
that TFPs have not yet gathered the initial estimated USD 32 million 
budget for the LEPI. TFPs sent a letter to the Minister in Charge of 
Relations with the Institutions, Zakari Baba Body, urging him to 
lobby deputies for amending the bill on the LEPI prior to approval. 
A source from the National Assembly told Post that deputies did 
bring amendments to the bills at plenary session before adoption, 
which could maintain the estimated budget at its current level. Post 
was not able to check the information because the approved bills are 
not published. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: By adopting the bills on the LEPI, 
parliamentarians have made giant strides towards its implementation. 
The public has hailed parliamentarians for demonstrating their 
commitment to transparent elections. Still, there is a long way to 
go to complete the LEPI before the 2011 presidential and legislative 
 
COTONOU 00000186  002 OF 002 
 
 
elections. The GOB and civil society need to maintain this level of 
interest and action over the long haul.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
BROWN