Senior politician in the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), Dr. Kaifala Marah has urged the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to respect Resolution-4 of the communiqué signed in October, last year.
Dr. Marrah who is representing APC at the Election Investigation Committee (EIC) made the appeal during Tuesday’s press briefing held at Brookfields Hotel in Freetown. The resolution borders on the release of political prisoners, discontinuation of politically motivated cases and resettlement of those driven from their communities by political violence.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of action from the SLPP since the communiqué’s signing, Dr. Marrah called upon the government, particularly the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), to collaborate with the tripartite committee and ensure timely progress.
The committee has an important mandate of looking into the June 24, 2023 elections and making recommendations to the government, and work should be completed within six months starting from October last year. He assured Sierra Leoneans that the committee would stand for the truth, and that they must exercise patience and restraint.
Dr. Marrah stated that the ruling party should have implemented some recommendations earlier. He affirmed the APC’s readiness to collaborate with the government and international partners to ensure full implementation of the resolutions.
Speaking for the government, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima, highlighted the importance of national peace and unity and assured President Bio’s commitment to addressing key resolutions as stated in the agreement. Dr Gaima also disclosed that the agreement for national unity has eight resolutions, but EIC was concerned with only Resolution-3 bordering on the review of controversial issues surrounding the June 24, 2023 polls and previous elections.
But the government representative was blunt to say that there would be re-run. “For now, we are only doing a review since we don’t have the mandate equest a re-run election,” Dr. Gaima cleared the air. Dr. Gaima also firmed the importance of addressing electoral concerns and government’s mitment to upholding democratic values that fostered national peace and
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