Sierra Leone’s Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) has warned the National Secretary General Unity Party (UP) that political parties are not personal property, but public outfits, owned by their members.

PPRC gave this warning in a letter written to the National Secretary Genera of Unity Party on Wednesday 28 December 2022.

Read details below:

“The National Secretary General Unity Party (UP)

4 Pademba Road

Freetown

Dear Sir,

I write in response to your letter of 27th December 2022 and to convey the Commission’s dismay at its contents.

Political Parties as you may know are not personal property; they are public outfits, owned by their members. Therefore the membership must participate fully, in their internal democracies and processes. Any attempt at ridding its members of this democratic right, by the leadership of any Political Party, is outrightly at variance with instructive provisions of the National Constitution and the Political Parties Act and will accordingly be searched by the Commission.

Secondly, be reminded that, your Party’s Constitution must be consistent with the National Constitution, the Political Parties Act and democratic principles and practices. As you may be aware, there are electoral colleges for all cadres of lower level intra party elections, save the Ward level, where the general membership votes and through which the first electoral college is constituted, for the Constituency Executive elections.

The Commission in its letter you replied to, enquired as to when you conducted your Ward and Constituency Executive elections and how did you generate the delegates list, for the proposed District Executive elections. Your Reply is absolutely bereft of any answers to those questions.

Consequently, I am directed by the Commission to inform you that, until your Party is able to provide answers to the above questions, it will neither partake in, nor recognise the outcome of  your proposed flawed District Executive Elections, as they are in circumvention of thes etablished process.

By copy hereof, the Sierra Leone Police are accordingly informed of the Commission’s foregoing position. For the development of our nascent democracy, viable and progressive opposition Parties, must endeavour and be seen to practice what they preach.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”