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Sarah Van Horne, the spokeswoman for the United States Embassy, stated on Friday that the United States is contemplating additional measures beyond a visa ban in response to the June 24 elections triggers.
Sarah Van Horne, the Head of Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Freetown, stated that U.S. officials are exploring additional initiatives to fulfill their commitment to supporting democracy in the country.
Speaking to the local press a day after US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken announced an approach targeting officials the US government admitted were responsible for allegedly manipulating the results of the June 2023 elections or engaging in intimidation and threats of violence against voters, elections observers, and civil society activists.
Ms Van Horne said in the virtual presser, in response to a question suggesting a change of tone in the statement from mere concerns about transparency in the electoral process to alleged rigging of the outcome, “This is not a change of what we are saying… We are still concerned about the election process and vote tabulation. What we are saying is the same thing,”
The June 24 elections were mainly a two-horse race between the incumbent Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC).
The APC contends that the election process was rigged and squarely places the blame on ECSL Chairman Mohamed Konneh, accusing him of colluding with the incumbent President Bio to declare him the winner in the first round with 56.17 percent of the votes, surpassing APC’s Samura Kamara, who received 41.17 percent.
The opposition party has instructed its elected members to refrain from assuming their seats in both parliament and local councils as part of their policy of non-participation in the country’s governance process until their demands, which include a re-run of the election, are met.
APC invited western countries to impose sanctions on the President and members of his government to pressure them to heed to its demands.
Thursday’s announcement was therefore hailed by opposition supporters and their sympathizers, who see the US move as heeding to that call.
However, Secretary Blinken, in the statement, didn’t mention names of individuals targeted. And Ms Van Horne declined to comment on this on Friday, insisting that it’s in line with the US government’s policy not to disclose the visa status of individuals. She also declined to comment directly on questions requiring clarification about whether the sanctions are meant for government officials or whether opposition supporters accused of involvement in violence and intimidation could also face sanction.
She however stressed that they move wasn’t directed at the Sierra Leonean people.
The west didn’t love African to grow, and any one in the government and cannot dance to there tuens, is always have to fight to control his country. God fight for our country Sierra Leone.
Fuck to America, do Sierra Leoneans really care about your visa ban. America is the most corrupt country in the world. We are independent and we do not owe them anything. We are bless and we are proud of our country Sierra Leone 🇸🇱.
Any Sierra Leonean supporting this dispensation on their daylight robbery don’t want this country to develop
Abu Sesay, You’re a big fool. Yes, Salone is bless but where are we with those blessings?? Our land is blessed but our leaders are cursed and that’s why we’re just going backwards and not forward.
We’ll always need America 🇺🇸 because every year they gave us millions of dollars as aid, and you’re here talking rubbish that we don’t need them.
FYI, we’re never an independent state, We’ll always be under the West as long as we continue to beg them for help to run our country.
Abu Sesay, you are such an idiot for saying those words. Is the SLPP government feeding you and your family? Or are you part of thier stolen election cabal? You just don’t know how much We the United States Government. Without foreign government intervention to get rid of these crooked fools, sufferation part two continues, just sit and wait.
The ban will surely affect APC Samura Kamara, Ernest Koroma, Adebayoh the mammy cus king and the entire APC executive who have been lying to their supporters that they won the election when in actual fact they lost. All APC supporters in Bombali and Portloko who perpetrated violence against ECSL supporters will all be sanctioned.
Abu big fool