The Election Conflict Presentation and Mediation Group (ECPMG) completed a constructive dialogue with some youths, members of the security sector, and other stakeholders in Makeni on Thursday 16th March 2023.

The engagement was based on election conflict prevention and mediation which is aimed at eradicating the cropping election problems in the country ahead of the June 24 elections.

The engagement gathered representatives from the security sector, different youth groups, religious groups, and the media.

It is the first roll-out meeting to get these bodies to work out strategies to prevent certain political violence and mediate peace talks among conflicted parties as well as political party supporters in the country.

Some of the problems highlighted by the members present ranged from; top government officials and political party executives fuelling young people to perpetrate violence before, during, and after elections, some religious leaders playing active roles in political issues, police and military personnel taking sides during their security duties at different places in the country as well as the orders from above, which is a concept that is also threatening national cohesion.

It was agreed and recommended that all these sectors will have to be neutral in the discharge of their job at every time to ensure that there is sustainable peace in the country.