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Every passing day takes the Election Investigation Committee (EIC) close to June 2024 when the outcome of the entire election probe will come out. The people of Sierra Leone eagerly wait for it. The decision holds the future, peace and prosperity of Sierra Leone as it means either a make or break for Sierra Leone.
The election EIC also known as the Tripartite Committee will be celebrated in the near future if it comes out with a decision that a vast majority of the people of Sierra Leone have been looking out for. It is one that borders on a rerun or fresh elections.
The committee is a product of a communiqué signed between the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) in October, last year after three days of mediation by the international community (Commonwealth, African Union and the Economic Community Of West African States).
One of the clauses in the communiqué provides for the setting up of the election body to investigate alleged irregularities of the June 24, 2023 elections. It states thus: “…The President, in consultation with the APC party, will constitute a cross-party Committee on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review with a three-way leadership nominated by the Government of Sierra Leone; the APC party and Development Partners…to examine the electoral systems, structures and processes of the June 2023 multi-tier electoral cycle.”
The committee, according to the communiqué, will also be informed by previous elections and results management including the collation, verification, authentication and publishing of electoral data consistent with international best practice to enhance the credibility of all future elections in Sierra Leone that guarantees elections to be free, fair and credible.
The committee was launched by President Julius Maada Bio days after the communiqué was signed, and its mandate was not supposed to go beyond six months but delays caused by financial constraints made the committee to exceed its normal term.
It took the committee close to a month to agree on the composition and the terms of reference to guide the investigation. If it is properly understood, the Tripartite Committee is a 21-member body with seven officials each from SLPP, APC and the Development Partners.
The committee was still in a hold up even when ECOWAS as well as the United Nations Security Council called on the government of Sierra Leone to comply with the terms of the October peace deal. A big boost to the committee was however provided by the US following a warning to Sierra Leone about the benefits of supporting the election probe.
US Ambassador to the United Nations who was in Sierra Leone almost a month ago offered $1.5m to the committee so that the investigators would carry out their work. The committee hit the ground running immediately after the money was provided by launching the terms of reference.
Once the probe commenced, many Sierra Leoneans felt assured that peace and national cohesion has finally returned to Sierra Leone as long as the committee is here. However, differences between SLPP and APC politicians is whittling down the importance of the committee and raising fears that government might not accept any recommendation that went against its interest.
Despite the differences, the people were sure the committee represents their hope and future well being. APC members and supporters wanted to see a rerun election since they strongly believed that the
The current parliamentary configuration, if left as it is, will not favour APC when it takes governance as it is highly likely that SLPP would have the Speaker’s seat in light of their numerical strength in parliament votes were stolen.
Others would even like to see a run off in lieu of a rerun since they are pleased as long as APC holds the presidency, but a conundrum lies behind such demand. The current parliamentary configuration, if left as it is, will not favour APC when it takes governance as it is highly likely that SLPP would have the Speaker’s seat in light of their numerical strength in parliament.
A vast majority of APC supporters does not favour a rerun but a fresh election to determine who the actual winner is. APC supporters also are about the outcome of the tripartite committee, the top-notch politician could not completely rule out a rerun election.
When confronted with the question of either a rerun or not, Dr Marrah said “If the investigation finds out significant regularities, the committee will not hesitate to recommend a rerun.” On the other hand, top SLPP politicians and supporters strongly oppose any rerun saying the June 24 election is done and dusted and also sealed and settled.
All attention must now be focused to 2028 when another election would be conducted so that the people could vote again for the candidates of their choice.
But sources within the ruling party have however intimated this press that the people should not even think about 2028 but 2030 as the Constitution of Sierra Leone would be amended for a seven-yearounter.
The opposition’s position was recently reiterated by Dr Kaifala Marrah in a press briefing held at the New Brookfields hotel in Freetown. Although he was not blunt about his party’s position
about the outcome of the tripartite committee, the top-notch politician could not completely rule out a rerun election.
When confronted with the question of either a rerun or not, Dr Marrah said “If the investigation finds out significant regularities, the committee will not hesitate to recommend a rerun.” On the other hand, top SLPP politicians and supporters strongly oppose any rerun saying the June 24 election is done and dusted and also sealed and settled.
All attention must now be focused to 2028 when another election would be conducted so that the people could vote again for about the outcome of the tripartite committee, the top-notch politician could not completely rule out a rerun election.
When confronted with the question of either a rerun or not, Dr Marrah said “If the investigation finds out significant regularities, the committee will not hesitate to recommend a rerun.” On the other hand, top SLPP politicians and supporters strongly oppose any rerun saying the June 24 election is done and dusted and also sealed and settled.
All attention must now be focused to 2028 when another election would be conducted so that the people could vote again for the candidates of their choice.
But sources within the ruling party have however intimated this press that the people should not even think about 2028 but 2030 as the Constitution of Sierra Leone would be amended for a seven-year the candidates of their choice.
But sources within the ruling party have however intimated this press that the people should not even think about 2028 but 2030 as the Constitution of Sierra Leone would be amended for a seven-year
Regrettably, you are one of those APC supporters bent on misiinforming Sierra Leoneans. There is no clause in the signed communique that talks about elections rerun. The 2024 elections are done and dusted. Please stop deceiving yourself and other innocent people that there will be a rerun of elections.