In line with its electoral mandate, the CSO WORKING GROUP ON ELECTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS has submitted both its Activity and Observation reports to ECSL in a bid to update them about the work they did before, during and after the elections and the findings they recorded during their monitoring of the June 2023 multi-tier elections in Sierra Leone.

The event which took place on Monday, 10th July 2023 at the ECSL headquarters at Tower Hill, Freetown was witnessed by a cross section of the members of the CSO Working Group on Elections and Human Rights.

While submitting the reports to Mr Albert Massaquoi, the Director of Media, Communications and External Relations, the National Coordinator of the CSO Working Group, Rashid Dumbuya Esq thanked the ECSL for the support provided through the ECOWAS fund to help educate the people of Sierra Leone on the PR system and the electioneering process.

He emphasized that despite the minimal amount received, the CSO Working Group went beyond itself to reach out to prone communities and help sensitize them about the PR system and the voting process.

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Rashid further underscored the need for ECSL to pay keen attention to the findings and recommendations in the elections Observation report so as to engender legal and regulatory reforms around the electioneering process.

While receiving the reports on behalf of the Commissioners and staff of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone, Mr Albert Massaquoi thanked the CSO Working Group for their relentless efforts in complementing the work of the Commission and promised that the Commission will look into the findings and recommendations in the report and where practicable advise on legal and regulatory reforms around the electioneering process.

He urged the Working Group to continue to partner with the ECSL with the hope of adding value to the Commission’s work in conducting free, fair and credible elections in Sierra Leone.

It could be recalled that on the 30th day of January 2023, the CSO Working Group was invoked to help with public education and sensitization on the PR system and the electioneering process as well as the observation of the June 2023 multi – tier elections in Sierra Leone.

As at the time of the submission of these reports to ECSL, the membership of the Working Group  comprised of about 25 independent Civil Society Organizations.

The objectives of the Working Group are as follows:

1.To monitor and ensure free, fair, transparency and credible elections in Sierra Leone;

2 To raise awareness and sensitization on elections and electoral processes in Sierra Leone;

3.To lobby and advocate for increased support to the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone and other Elections Management Bodies;

4..To engage in observation, report writing and documentation of findings on elections and human rights in Sierra Leone; and

5.To make strong recommendations to the government, international partners and other stakeholders for legal, institutional and policy reforms regarding elections management in Sierra Leone.

The Motto of the Civil Society Working Group is: “Guarding Peace & Democracy through Free, Fair and Credible Elections’’.

For the records, minimal funding to the tune of le 60,000,000 (old notes) was received from ECSL through the ECOWAS Fund to help with voter education and sensitization on the PR system and the electioneering process in Sierra Leone. Also, the Working Group received support from the LEGAL LINK Organization and a few members of the Consortium to facilitate the implemention of it’s activities and observation of the elections.

Chief amongst the various activities embarked upon by the CSO Working Group before, during and after the elections include:

Voter education Seminar and training to University Students in Sierra Leone;

Stakeholders training on the PR System;

Development of jingles, animations and infographics about the PR system and the voting process;

Media engagement and sensitization;

Community outreach, sensitization and non-violence campaigns on the eve of the elections and during the elections.

Observation of the elections on polling day; and

Media engagement on non- violence and reprisal attacks against political party supporters after the elections.

In conclusion the Civil Society Working Group on Elections and Human Rights registers its profound thanks and appreciation to the government of Sierra Leone, ECSL, election management bodies, the Sierra Leone Police, political parties, civil society organizations, the media and the entire electorates of Sierra Leone for ensuring a peaceful and non-violent 2023 multi-tier elections.

In sum, while it is apparently clear that the June 2023 multi-tier elections were conducted in a relatively peaceful and serene environment,  the Working Group expresses disappointment in the lack of transparency exhibited in the counting, tallying and computation phase in the electioneering process by ECSL.

It is hope therefore that the recommendations enshrined in the observation report will be taken in good faith by ECSL for an improvement in the conduct of public elections in Sierra Leone going forward.