As Cameroonians prepared to vote yesterday, October 12, their role extended beyond that of mere voters to become vigilant guardians of the results.
They did not just come to cast their ballots, but also to stand guard. When it was time to count the votes, people did not go home. They moved closer. They stood in the doorways. They looked through the windows. Everyone was quiet, but everyone was watching. Inside the voting room, the election workers did their job but not alone; citizens were there observing, making sure the numbers were written correctly and even helping in the count.
From their watch at the windows and doors, these citizens became messengers, sharing the results from their polling stations with the waiting crowds and the rest of the country. Citizens started creating short and catchy nicknames for some candidates, which spread quickly through the crowd. This scene, repeated in countless stations, was a national audit conducted not by institutions, but by the people.
They were there to ensure that the journey of the results card from the box, to the count, to the final declaration was transparent and fair. The long hours stretched on, but the vigil held. As the vote drew to its end, the most powerful instrument was not the ballot itself, but the unwavering will of the citizens to protect it. Even though the official results are weeks away, some voters have already decided who their winner is.
