By Noela EBOB BISONG
About 30 members of the Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ) have been
empowered on election reporting and best practices. This was in a two-day Election Reporting and Safety
Handbook Validation Workshop in Bafoussam, West Region of Cameroon. The workshop to empower the
members of the association drawn from its representative Chapters ran from June 12 and 13.
The programme was held under the framework of the Open Society Foundations-funded project titled,
“Optimising Media Engagement in Peace Efforts in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon
through increased media participation.”
The workshop had as aim to equip journalists with critical tools and strategies to navigate the complexities of
election coverage in Cameroon—with safety, responsibility, unbias but impactful reporting, as main focus.
Speaking during the programme, the national president of CAMASEJ and coordinator of the project, Jude
Viban urged his colleagues to remain focus, share experiences and acquire knowledge which is critical in
effective reporting, especially within the current context, building up to the October 2025 Presidential election.
The expert-led sessions centered on Evolution of election reporting in Cameroon: From traditional to new
media (by Dr. Mbinglo Gilles), A reporter’s guide into Safety and Security during elections and Pitching (by
Amindeh Blaise) and Gender mainstreaming in election reporting (by Josephine Nsono).
A major highlight of the gathering was the validation of a CAMASEJ Safety Handbook, to guide journalists in
their day to day covering and reporting.
The workshop which saw journalists sharing experiences and enriching selves with expert directives,
reinforces CAMASEJ’s commitment to journalistic integrity, media safety, and peaceful democratic processes
in Cameroon.