The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) and the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion have jointly released a statement addressing their observations of the twenty days of electoral campaigns leading up to the 24th June 2023 elections.

The commissions expressed deep concerns over several disturbing occurrences during this period.

Among the issues highlighted in the statement were the defilement of children, who were seen singing and dancing to profane and insulting songs in front of the President and Vice President’s campaign posts.

The commissions also raised concerns about premature pronouncement of election results and the persistent harassment and intimidation of Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) personnel.

Additionally, the commissions condemned the use of intemperate and scathing comments against political opponents, intermittent confrontations and disruptions of campaign activities in some provinces, and the flouting of security directives by political parties and candidates, leading to avoidable confrontations. They also expressed alarm at the persistent calls for illegal protests and threats to disrupt the upcoming polls.

These activities, if not addressed, could have far-reaching consequences. They have the potential to stoke conflict, undermine democratic processes, weaponize segments of the public against state institutions and officials, compromise public safety and public morality, and betray the peace pledge recently signed by the leadership of the contesting political parties and their presidential candidates.

In response to the complaints received by the PPRC from the ECSL, the All People’s Congress (APC), and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), a dialogue meeting was convened on June 9, 2023. However, the APC Party did not attend the meeting, and the commission is awaiting an explanation for their absence.

The commissions jointly called on all political parties participating in the upcoming elections to condemn all forms of threats and intimidation against the ECSL and other electoral management bodies.

They urged the parties to dissociate themselves from and denounce any calls for unlawful protests and disruption of the polls. They also stressed the importance of maintaining a temperate and tolerant approach in campaigns, with messages of a national character.

Finally, the commissions urged political parties, their leadership, candidates, and supporters to uphold the spirit of the peace pledge they recently signed, emphasizing the need to prioritize peaceful and fair elections for the betterment of Sierra Leone.