Campaigning in Cambodia's local elections begins

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Election campaigning began Friday for new local governing councils across Cambodia, an apparent effort to transfer more political power from the central government to the countryside.

But some observers said the polls are more likely to consolidate the power of Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party.

The election, scheduled for April 1, will choose councils to administer 1,621 communes and sangkats, which are clusters of villages and urban neighborhoods.

Twelve political parties fielding a total of 102,266 candidates are competing in the elections, which are held every five years. Trucks carrying party supporters and draped with political banners wound their way through the streets of the capital Phnom Penh. Supporters chanted their campaign messages through bullhorns to woo voters.

The first local election was held Feb. 2002. Until then, the communes were ruled by chiefs appointed by the Interior Ministry..

Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party, which has maintained a firm grip on power during the last three decades, won overwhelmingly in the last local election and is expected to emerge victorious again.

The countryside has traditionally been dominated by Hun Sen's party followers.

Although the election is meant to decentralize power, Hang Puthea, executive director of Cambodian nonprofit election monitoring group Nicfec, said that it will not lead to any fundamental changes.

"This election is merely going to strengthen the current ruling party. And as already expected, the Cambodian People's Party will (again) lead in the number of local governing councils," he said.

Citing the proportional Cambodian electoral system, where candidates are appointed by their parties, Hang Puthea said elected candidates usually carry out their duties with political loyalty rather than public interest, in mind.

"I do not know how many more generations (it will take before) decentralization can fully function" in Cambodia, he said.

On Thursday, Hun Sen called for peaceful campaigning and ordered security forces to ensure safety and security until the election is over.