The Deputy Speaker in Parliament Hon. Segehpoh Thomas  has urged  Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone  not to encourage any Political rallies in Sierra Leone during the 2023 general elections.

” If you want to rally in the streets go to  your district and rally there. ECSL will not tolerate any Political  party in the streets of the city  in a form of  rally,  the Deputy Speaker lamented.

The Deputy Speaker made  the disclosure on Thursday, 14th July 2022 during  the debate  on the public .

Elections Bill in the well of Parliament . According to Ho  Thomas, the country has witnessed rallies  were hoodlums are targeting people’s shops and residences, adding  that some are not only rallying Peaceful but they also steal People’s Properties.

He said he witnessed elections in a , country where people go out peacefully to vote and nobody knows’, which is not in the case in Sierra Leone.

The MP said if political parties want to win elections they should go out and campaign peacefully and not to unleash violence to gain votes.

He said there is no law in the 1991 Constitution that permits political rallies, ‘no law’ adding that the rallies can cause serious problems for peaceful citizens.

Hon Segepoh Thomas also dilated on the importance of the Public Election Bill, adding that most of the contents in the bill are over 90 percent from the 2012 election bill, adding that there are minimal changes.

He furthered that the Election Bill is aimed at ratifying the wrongs in the 2012 Election Bill and to make it a much stronger law for the Electoral Commission
Commission to act and work without fear or favour of any political party. He emphasised that there is nothing in the bill that is controversial or that has abrogated the Constitution of Sierra Leone, adding that the aim is to make the Electoral Commission stronger and independent.

Responding to the Deputy Speaker, the opposition Member of Parliament, Hon Agibola Manley Spaine, said the statement made by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Segehpoh Thomas, that there are no political rallies is not true.

Hon Manley Spaine said the Public Order Act 1965 is clearly spelt out on the freedom of procession, adding that of rallies fall under that section of the Constitution.

He said that political rallies cannot be banned ‘for no reason’ because it is embedded in our national laws, adding that political rallied are visible in developed nations .

This is time people show love to their political parties and their leaders. Of you want to change rallies in the Constitution bring the 1965 Public Order Act. Which guarantees freedom of expression , assembly , Association and procession, Hon Manly Spaine said

The Member of Parliament representing Constituency 059 in Kambia, Hon Abdul Karim Kamara, said banning of Political rallies is a ploy to stifles the opposition’s Freedom.

He said the SLPP are in the habit of instituting bad laws in the country’s law books , adding that banning rallies means that people want to abrogate the constitution which talks about Freedom of assembly and procession.

He admonished ECLS not to attempt to ban rallies have been in existence since the SLPP rule in 2001 to 2018, adding the transgressing the constitution is accessible