By Doh James Sonkey
Cameroon’s election management body, Elections Cameroon, ELECAM has launched tactile envelopes for visually impaired persons to vote on October 12, 2025 with ease, secrecy and dignity. The tactile envelope was officially launched last September 17, 2025 at the Head Office of ELECAM by the Director General of Election, Dr Erik Essousse. The Director General of Election said the innovative design will strengthen the democratic process in the country.
He celebrated that, “this innovative tool is simple but essential and it is the fruit of constructive consultations between ELECAM and Associations of Persons with Disabilities and Technical Partners.”
Dr Erik Essousse demonstrated how the tactile pocket functions so that everyone should know how to use it without any difficulty and to assure the public that their votes will count and that ELECAM has taken all measures to ensure that their participation is effective, secret and respected.
“Usage of the tactile jacket is not only an electoral technique but above all, a powerful symbol; that of equal rights, inclusion and respect of diversity”, explained the DG of Election.
He expressed gratitude to all who are working with ELECAM for Cameroon to be a more just and participative democracy.
Erik Essousse called on all the concerned electors to appropriate this vital tool and actively wait to cast their votes next October 12, 2025. “Your votes will be precious. Your voice must be listened to”, he said.
The DG of Election at ELECAM told the press that, “the dots on the cover allow the visually impaired to identify their candidate by the dots on the cover. This means that from 1 to 12, if you say your candidate is the first, or the second, or the third, you are identified by the dots on the cover. I believe that our inclusive system allows all the visually impaired to vote in all serenity, in all confidentiality and in all dignity.”
According to the tactile jacket, Ateki SETA Caxton is attributed with one dot, Bello Bouba Maigari with two dots, Biya Paul with three dots, Bougha Hagbe Jacques four dots, Issa Tchiroma Bakary with five dots, Iyodi Hiram Samuel with six dots, Kwemo Pierre with seven dots, Lilii Li Ngue Ngue Cabral with eight dots, Matomba Serge Espoir with nine dots, Muna Akere Tabeng with ten dots, Osih Joshua Nambangi with eleven dots and Tomaino Hermine Patricia epse Ndam Njoya with twelve dots.