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Parliament of Sierra Leone has on Thursday, 8 December 2022 rejected a motion to annul the Proportional Representation and District Block System for the conduct of next year’s multi-tier elections.
According to Parliament Communications, the members of Parliament rejected the private member’s motion proposed by Hon. Musa Fofana and seconded by Hon. Brima Mansaray to annul two statutory instruments.
In summation, the private member’s motion on the annulment of the two statutory instruments has procedurally failed to garner two-thirds (98 out of 146 MPs) of the votes to be cast by Members of Parliament in its favour.
“In effect and until otherwise (case filed to the Supreme Court relating to same), the two statutory instruments will be used for the conduct of the June 24th general elections, next year in accordance with Section 170 sub-section (7) paragraphs a, b and c of Act No. 6 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone,” Parliament noted.
The Regulations appertaining to the two statutory instruments were laid in Parliament by the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Umaro Napoleon Koroma on Wednesday 23 December, 2022 after an impasse between opposition and governing benches was brought to calm by the intervention of the Sierra Leone Police.
The private member’s motion reads thus:
“In accordance with Section 170 (7) (c) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No.6 of 1991 and in tandem with S.O 18 (8) and S.O 25 (2), I move that Statutory Instruments Number 13 and 14 of 2022 entitled:
1. The Public Elections (Local Councils Proportional Representation System ) Regulations, 2022 Statutory Instrument No. 13 of 2022; and
2. The Public Elections (District Block Proportional System) Regulations, 2022 Statutory Instrument No. 14 of 2022
Which were laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday 23rd November 2022 due to their larger implications on society be annulled by this Honourable House”.
Hon. Musa Fofana who moved for the annulment of both Instruments had an afterthought and wanted to withdraw his motion on the grounds that both Instruments were good for the promotion of democracy, peace and national cohesion in the country.
Other Leaders also submitted their thoughts on the statutory instruments before the House.
The main opposition party in Parliament, APC submitted that both instruments were not properly laid before the House, and also the matter has been taken to the Supreme Court for interpretations.
Meanwhile, the governing party, SLPP on the other hand argued that they have fully complied with provisions of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Following the arguments for and against the motion, the Hon. Speaker of Sierra Leone of Parliament, Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu then put the question and MPs voted against the annulment of Statutory Instruments No. 13 and 14 relating to the conduct of next year’s multi-tier elections in the Republic of Sierra Leone.
However, Members of Parliament from the APC abstained from voting.
