POLITICS: The conditions for a democratic election are met

Siaka Sangare, President of the Network of Francophone Electoral Skills who oversaw the elections in Mali, was dispatched by the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) to support experts in the INEC. After weeks of cleaning, the electoral register has been endorsed by all candidates.

The file can organize a democratic presidential election, says in an interview with Sangare 

Beyond the Togolese case the representative of the IOF invites Francophone African countries to end their mad rush to technology. Biometrics or transparent ballot boxes will never replace the vital trust that must be established between politicians and voters. This is the key to any successful electoral process, he said.

The electoral roll it contained errors which distort the ballot?

Siaka Sangare: Absolutely not. The OIF was involved to solve some problems identified. The participation of experts from OIF has been effective in achieving a consensual file, perfectible file.

Overall, we must remember that the work of consolidation and the Audit Committee have produced a file that guarantee the interests of all candidates and allowing to hold a democratic presidential election.

So cleaning done by the experts of the CENI and OIF offers maximum

Siaka Sangare: Absolutely. Those candidates accepted the file and I think that's the guarantee. All corrections needed to be made ​​were. It was held on a number of key elements such as the number of voters, the number and location of polling stations. This is the document that was given to each candidate and we have developed together. A total of 3,509,258 arrested a file voters split between 4.112 polling centers and 8994 polling stations

I think the work we've done and the results validated allow us to go to a presidential election in the best conditions.

Technological developments are they not the cause of the problems encountered in the electoral lists. In other words, can the biometrics solve everything?

Siaka Sangare: No! Biometrics is useful but it is not a panacea.

I have given many seminars on the subject and I have always said that biometrics is not the ultimate solution.

It uniquely identifies each voter and guaranteed uniqueness in the electoral register if the data are reliable and consisting collection mechanism.

But it has the disadvantage cost and deadlines. So it can not solve all problems.

The technology has its limits and will never replace human presence. 

Hence the importance for policy makers and voters to work in confidence. This is a major challenge.

It is this crisis of confidence in francophone Africa that brought us to the misuse of technology because we do not trust anything and anyone.

It was the single ballot and is passed to multiple newsletter. Classic urns were used, it was necessary to use transparent ballot boxes

Are elections more transparent with this model?

And the examples do not stop there. We created the electoral commissions, computerized lists. They want to put in the polls authentication devices by reading fingerprint and biometric identification systems on the voter registration card.

Far we will go in this crazy race?

I'll tell you, only trust can organize good elections. We do not need all these sophisticated processes to get a good poll.

Technology yes, excess no!

At each election, Togo must revise the electoral roll all possible challenges.What would you recommend to avoid this cumbersome and expensive process?

Siaka Sangare: First, the level of electoral lists. I found that everywhere (in Togo as elsewhere), the reliability of electoral lists was at the heart of electoral disputes.

I propose that we go toward modernizing vital to end the issue of the reliability of the electoral lists.

As we will hang deaths on the electoral lists, as we will call the witness to identify citizens, for sure there will always be an information reliability problem.

The fact that the identification evidence (75% in Togo, against 22% who were able to present an identity card) be used is the consequence of failure Vital found in French-speaking Africa .

Marital status is not able to issue identity documents to citizens why the testimony system is used. We must strengthen the capacity of civil registration system.

Then the transmission of results. This is the most critical phase and most sensitive of an electoral process. This is the stage where all the emotions are crystallized.

It is then 3 principles. First, transparency. Everything must be transparent, the polling station to the communication of results.

Then haste. Because when it drags, it gives rise to speculation and calculations. There are those who have results and those trying to be proclaimed.

Finally, we must secure the document that is in the polling station and this document to be transmitted to the central authorities. Transparency, speed and security.

The government has called on the OIF to help the CENI to strengthen the electoral register. Have you felt a determination of the authorities to achieve an acceptable outcome and accepted by all?

Siaka Sangare: Yes, that's obvious. We worked with representatives of five candidates, which allowed to have a consensual file, perfectible.  

OIF she will deploy observers on election day?

Siaka Sangare: There will be the mission of information and contact. The head of the mission is already in Togo.

The OIF will observe the voting only in the direction to learn but not in the way of observing technique as we used to.

We favor strengthening the capacities of structures in charge of the electoral process. The international election observation has less impact, it must be recognized.