The National Election Watch (NEW) has demanded explanation on the status of the August 2022 Boundary Delimitation Exercise and the reasons for the proposed changes in the electoral system.

This demand was made in an open letter written to the Chief Electoral Commissioner of Sierra Leone, Mohamed Konneh.

Read the letter below:

“It is with serious concern, as a civil society elections observation organisation, that we write in the public interest, to seek a comprehensive explanation from ECSL on the status of the August 2022 Boundary Delimitation exercise for the purposes of the 2023 general elections, and the Commission’s justification for the proposed change in our electoral system from the Constituency-Based First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system, to the District Block Proportional Representation (PR) system.

NEW notes with disbelief, a tweet from your twitter account on Thursday 20th October 2022, in which you informed your followers about a fundamental constitutional issue regarding changes in the electoral system. The tweet was later followed by a Press Release dated 21 October, 2022 in which the ECSL, referencing section 38A of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and other relevant provisions, informed the public that, following directives from HE President Julius Maada Bio, the 2023 multi-tier elections will be conducted using the Proportional Representation (PR) system. In our view, we think the decision on the choice of an electoral system (which is constitutional) is too important an issue for the public to be informed via a tweet. Notwithstanding, it is the view of NEW that the public deserves a comprehensive explaining on the justification(s) and need for the change in our electoral system, less than nine months to our general elections. Our request is critical because, there has been little discussion of such a system and the electorate has virtually no comprehension of how this system will work at this point. A low public understanding on the PR system and its introduction close to a multi-tier How will the proposed PR cater for independent candidates?

NEW will welcome the opportunity to meet with you and other commissioners of ECSL in person to discuss these issues further, especially in light of the need for public dialogue and the fact that some opposition political parties and members of the public are questioning the legality of the PR electoral system.

Finally, for the sake of good elections, peace and stability, it will be vital that as a nation, we arrive at common understanding of the rationale behind these changes, and a consultative process take place in order to collectively find solutions to these outstanding, critical issues that we have raised in this letter.

We appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to hearing from you.”