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National Election Watch (NEW) has strongly condemned the removal of one of its observers from the vote-counting process during the Paramount Chieftaincy election in Bombali Shebora Chiefdom, Bombali District.
In a press release issued on April 14, NEW stated that its observer, Harold H. Kamara, was asked to leave the polling station at Practising Primary School in Makama at around 4:00 pm, just as counting was about to begin. According to the organization, police officers carried out the directive on the instruction of a regional official of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL).
NEW explained that prior to the incident, its team had engaged local election authorities, including the ECSL District Manager and the Senior District Officer, to secure accreditation. Although confirmation from headquarters was initially pending, the organization said it later received assurances on the morning of the election that its observers would be allowed to monitor the process.
The group noted that Mr. Kamara had observed voting from 9:00 am until the time of his removal, without incident. However, despite attempts by local officials to intervene, the regional commissioner reportedly insisted that the observer leave before counting could proceed.
NEW further claimed that the ECSL official indicated a broader directive barring its observers from participating in electoral processes nationwide until unspecified issues between the commission and NEW are resolved. The organization said it has not received formal communication to that effect.
Describing the incident as a violation of transparency and accountability principles, NEW warned that excluding independent observers could undermine public trust in electoral processes. It also raised concerns about restrictions on civic participation, particularly in the absence of clear justification.
The press release listed several stakeholders present during the incident, including police officers, representatives of the Human Rights Commission, and journalists.
NEW called for clarification from ECSL and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting credible and inclusive elections in Sierra Leone.
