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The Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) has released an interim report on the 2023 National Multitier Elections held on June 24. This report follows initial statements released on June 24 and June 28.
The comprehensive report is based on the analysis of 484 observer reports from polling stations across the country, representing 80% of the total 605 trained and deployed observers.
Observations Before the Start of Polling/Voting
One of the key challenges observed by 66.6% of the observers was the delayed availability of voting materials in several polling stations, resulting in late opening. Additionally, only the major political parties, All Peoples Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), had agents present in approximately 85% of polling stations. Ballot boxes were reported to be empty before voting began, and they were locked and sealed as required.
Observations During Polling
Despite some delays in starting voting due to material availability, approximately 90% of the observers reported that order was maintained within polling stations throughout the country. The presence of security personnel was deemed adequate by 99% of the observers, easing concerns about security on polling day.
Transparency was upheld during voting, with 98.8% of observers noting that ballot boxes were within sight of all during polling. Interference with the voting process was minimal, and voter secrecy was mostly preserved. However, the makeshift polling station arrangement negatively affected the secrecy of voting.
Overall Assessment
The majority of observers affirmed that the polling was free and fair, and the voting environment was relatively peaceful, with an impressive voter turnout of around 87%. However, the report highlights that post-polling activities have challenged the credibility of the results as announced by the National Returning Officer, leading to an impasse in the country.
Tallying/Tabulation of Votes
Tallying of votes was conducted at regional centers, but the process was marred by discrepancies and lack of transparency. Stakeholders, including party agents and observers, were kept at a distance during tallying, impacting their ability to meaningfully observe the process. The ECSL’s handling of the results and incomplete tallying led to scenes of violence at some tallying centers.
Conclusion
The interim report concludes that, despite some challenges, the 2023 June 24 Elections were relatively free, fair, and peaceful. The Council of Churches in Sierra Leone urges a face-to-face meeting with the Election Management Bodies and Election Observers to address outstanding issues related to the Elections.
The report also highlights the need for improved voter and electoral education to reduce the number of invalid votes, which accounted for about 4.7% of the total votes. The Council congratulates the people of Sierra Leone for voting in a peaceful environment and expresses hope for a peaceful and just future in the country.
However, the report emphasizes that addressing the post-polling challenges is crucial to ensure the elections meet international standards of free, fair, and peaceful elections. The fate of Sierra Leone’s democratic consolidation now hangs in the balance, awaiting resolution of the electoral impasse.
See full details of the press release below:
CCSL must ask the ECSL to release the disaggregated data of all polling stations nation wide for transparency and credibility for all parties involved if we are looking for a pathway forward.Like prof.Njai said,you cannot ignored the terrible and thievery work of ECSL and pretend as if nothing happened, and asked people to move on.We have to correct these anomalies if we want democracy to florish in our nation.Any attempt to ignore this concern,will not bear good fruit for our democracy and nation,and it will be threat for our peace as a nation. We don’t want these tit for tat game anymore.