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The Unity Party has in a Press Release dated 13th March, 2023 reacted to a message from the leadership of the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC).
The party issued this press release in response to audio making rounds on social media purported to be originated from the leadership of PPRC, stating that the commission is set to dissolve the party over flaws in their recent National Convention.
The statement reads as follows:
”The membership of the Unity Party (UP) wishes to express our dismay at the statements and audio making the rounds on social media inspired by or originating from the leadership of the Political Parties Regulations Commission (PPRC) and indicating the Commission’s negative appraisal of the Unity Party’s recent internal electoral pro- cess that culminated in our party’s National Convention.
The Unity Party wishes to inform the general Sierra Leonean public as well as interested international partners of the following misleading information emanating from the PPRC in regards to the Unity Party:
That the Unity Party did not inform the PPRC about the elections. That the Unity Party has no offices, especially in the Regional Headquarter towns. That our membership was excluded from the electoral process.
These claims being made by the PPRC, an agency that was established with the critical responsibility of supporting the growth of political pluralism, democracy, and good governance in Sierra Leone, are astonishingly false.
Firstly, the PPRC was duly informed of the holding of the Unity Party elections. The relevant correspondence contained a request for their presence, the timetable including dates, and various locations for polling. This can be verified easily by looking at copies of the invitations or notifications sent and the Unity Party way book which clearly indicates that these correspondences were received by the PPRC.
Secondly, in spite of the extreme difficulties encountered as a young opposition party in obtaining leases for office spaces in certain parts of the country, the Unity Party has succeeded in leasing offices in Makeni (6b Mabanta Road), Kenema (15 Bockarie Gbay Street), Bo (Gbendeva Town, off Koribundu Highway and in Freetown (4 Pademba Road). For an institution that is credited with the responsibility to foster democracy in this country, the PPRC should certainly see these efforts by the Unity Party in establishing a presence around the country as a very positive accomplishment that should be applauded and certainly not undermined. Receipts for the rent paid on these offices are available for inspection if the PPRC may wish to show any interest in them”.
Press Statement;
