‘Wrath from the Gods’: Traditional Institutions and Electoral Politics in Bali

What is it about?

My paper examined the 2013 municipal elections in Bali subdivision, North West Cameroon. I employed participant observation, semi-structured interviews, document analyses to unearth strategies employed by the CPDM and SDF parties to retain and/or regain Bali Council. The CPDM, in collusion with traditional authorities, was accused of utilising a sacred cult ‘Voma’ to intimidate voters. The SDF was accused of importing witchdoctors from Nigeria and Pygmies from East Cameroon to cast magical spells on the population, to make the people vote for it. The CPDM won a landslide, but struggled to dispel rumours about the impact and consequences of Voma.

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Why is it important?

The paper is important because it combined research methods in Political Science and Social Anthropology. This unique approach enabled me to bridge the rigours of academic boundaries and unveil a comprehensive picture of local politics in Cameroon.