With new COVID-19 rules, political analysts and Sierra Leoneans remain sceptical about 2022 and 2023 local council and Presidential elections. Health experts have confirmed the presence of a third wave Corona Virus Disease also known as COVID-19.
Unlike the first and second, the third wave is symptomatic, with evidence of being the deadliest. The virus has wreaked great havoc in countries with advanced health systems especially India in Asia.
Millions of lives have been lost since COVID-19 broke out in China in November, 2019. According to the Local Government Act of 2004 and the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991, the mandate of local councils end in 2022, and government’s mandate ends in 2023.
As usual, elections must take place to ensure a smooth transition or retention of power. Power could be retained by the incumbent if the people of Sierra Leone feel satisfied with the current leadership. The reverse occurs if the people need a change of government for the better.
In election periods, rallies, processions, meetings, masquerades, assemblies hallmark election periods in Sierra Leone. They are platforms where politicians sell party ideologies to the public.
But, with the new COVID-19 rules, such activities are not sure to take place in Sierra Leone should the rules keep going on to the election period. In all media interviews, communication pillar lead for NACOVERC (National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre) Harold Thomas says the country has seen a hike in cases of Corona virus popularly referred to as the third wave.
The third wave, according to Thomas, is the most dangerous. Accounts hold that it is the third wave of COVID-19 that is destroying thousands, if not millions of Indians. The virus is also expected to spread in other countries, a situation that has prompted governments to embark on pro-active measures.
Sierra Leone has joined other countries to forestall the spread of the virus in Sierra Leone. NACOVERC Spokesperson, Solomon Jamiru also confirms the new COVID-19 wave in the country and makes a strong case why the people must avoid large crowds.
“…Sierra Leone is currently witnessing the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic,” Jamiru confirmed in a press release.
The assessment, he went on, was informed by WHO (World Health Organisation) alert as well as a thorough examination of the epidemiological data particularly for the last one month.
“The period indicates not only an exponential rise in COVID-19 confirmed cases, but also increased positivity rates, hospitalization and deaths,” he added.
It is also indicated that significant number of positive cases are from samples obtained from patients in health facilities. The samples are predominantly in the Western Area.
Corona Virus, could easily, transfer from one person to another in congested conditions.
On June 7th 2021, NACOVERC issued a press release containing new measures on the prevention of the dreadful and deadly virus. NACOVERC is a body set up to champion the fight against Corona Virus Disease.
Since its formation, the agency has pursued several strategies to ensure that the virus comes to an end, and life gets back to normal.
These methods include public education, social mobilisation and contact tracing among others.
Before this period, the virus showed positive signs of receding, a factor that caused the authorities to relax some measures.
Face masking, hand washing, use of hand sanitizers and veronica buckets in public places were a bit relaxed by the authorities. Relaxing the measures caused a sudden increase in the number of COVID cases, a situation that brought about new measures.
Mandatory wearing of face mask in all public places and transportation, Social distancing and hand washing, reduction in the number of worshippers, placing a one-month ban on night clubs, cinemas and pubs were some of the measures endorsed by NACOVERC.
NACOVERC, according to the press release, will enforce wearing of face masks at shops, indoor and outdoor markets as well as crowded stalls. It will also ensure that academic institutions comply with mandatory face mask, hand washing and social distancing protocols.
National Sports Authority designated activities and competitions shall be held behind closed doors without spectators. Large-scale entertainment activities or super-speaker events are banned for a month.
Government and private health facilities to incorporate COVID-19 screening for cases matching case definition for COVID-19 and corpses with suspicious case definitions to be swabbed within 24 hours of death. With effect from Tuesday 22nd June, 2021, government ministries, departments and agencies would be accessed only by employees and members of the public with proof of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination.
Social gatherings including weddings, funerals, receptions, naming ceremonies and the like shall not exceed 50 people with mandatory face mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing. The promulgation of the new rules is just a reinforcement of old ones initially pronounced after the discovery of index case in March, 2020 in Sierra Leone.
However, restrictions of social gatherings, public address system and access to government buildings are rules that directly hinge on political activities during elections. In the electoral periods especially campaign and rallies, numbers of party supporters may swell up thousands to hear political messages.
A number of Sierra Leoneans who spoke to this press have expressed their readiness to massively come out during both elections.
The aim is to ensure that there is a change of government through the ballot box. During elections, public address system is normally the main means of communication employed by politicians. During such addresses, large crowds of people converge to listen to the messages.
Political party authorities also visit important offices especially Office of the Inspector-General of Police, the courts, the army, Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and other important offices should the need arise.
According to the new rules, only those with proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be permitted to enter public buildings. This means politicians who appear less inclined for a vaccination would be banned from public offices.
The new rules are seen by many as a way of deterring politicians from active politiking.
It seems clear that government has foreseen a cloud of unprecedented hanging on the elections. The opposition, they say, is put at a disadvantage point.
The argument holds that the continuation of the rules to the election period is a subtle method of oppressing the opposition. The political Parties regulator, PPRC (Political Parties Registration Commission) is yet to make statements.
A member of the public says in any law, officials of the ruling party would be spared.