A Re-run election is the only way to peace in Sierra Leone and registration set to start next month, reliable sources have intimated this press.
The re-run, according to sources, was agreed on by the two opposing sides, the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the opposition, All People’s Congress to end post-election stalemate which has gone for months.
If it goes as planned, registration will start in October and voting takes place either in December or January next year.
The faceless or sub-standard voter identity cards that produced by ECSL would not be used. Although registration and voting is set to commence, a big hurdle lies in the way as the two forces disagree on who should be in charge of security during the electoral period since the two forces have badly disappointed the people of Sierra Leone through unprofessionalism.
SLPP opts for the Sierra Leone Police and army to provide security as usual while APC thinks otherwise.
The opposition politicians wanted ECOMOG (ECOWAS Monitoring Group), the armed wing of the sub-regional bloc to provide security in partnership with the local forces so that the people could safe in the election period.
Looking back at past record, APC politicians no longer have trust in the police in the army, but worse for President Julius Maada Bio who has displayed unreliability over the years.
In a show of unprofessionalism, the police and army fired teargas and even live rounds during and after the polling to scare away voters.
APC’s Presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara has escaped several assassination attempts carried out by the police and the army ostensibly on senior officers’ orders. It was a disaster for the voters, but more of a disaster when authorities failed to investigate the incidents. Bio has failed to honour most of his promises he made especially when it comes to elections.
Ahead of polling, Bio promised the people of Sierra Leone that he would no longer kill and that the political space is widely opened.
Bio was taken by his word knowing little that it was a mere bait for opposition politicians.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he is in total control of the soldiers and the police who never brings to justice if they kill in daylight.
Their loyalty to the Presidency and readiness to accept any order whether unlawful or not cannot be questioned.
The re-run is a bitter bill for President Bio to swallow, but it is expedient as it is the only way to put back Sierra Leone on track.
No matter the pain, the country must get back to normal situation where security, peace and commerce thrives for the benefit of all and sundry. Sierra Leone is in a deep stand off after ECSL fraudulently declared President Bio winner of June elections.
The Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh allegedly transferred APC’s votes to SLPP to give the incumbent party a lead in the elections.
SLPP, according to Konneh, scored 56.17 percent which gave the party a first-round victory. APC which was widely seen winner of the elections managed to score slightly above 43 percent.
Konneh’s results are not in line with NEW (National Elections Watch) results projections, a factor that totally discredited polls announced by ECSL.
NEW, led by Marcella Samba Sesay, is a coalition of civil society organisations which specialises on election observation and reporting in Sierra Leone. NEW monitored 2007, 2012, 2018 and 2023 elections, and their projections have never failed.
Ahead Konneh’s pronouncement of the results, NEW had made it clear that no candidate got the 55 percent threshold needed to avoid a run off.
International observers too condemned the election process saying “it lacked transparency.”
However, the election chief has turned down calls by the United States, UK and EU to publish the results by polling stations and districts. The international community has responded by holding back funds for major development projects except the health sector which borders on the lives of citizens.
As the world’s leading country, the United States recently took the lead in imposing visa restrictions on government officials to compel Bio comply with their demands.
According to the US ban, no government official will enter the United States especially those who played key role in 2023 elections rigging and undermined the democratic process in Sierra Leone.
Recently, President Bio was reportedly restricted from walking to other areas in the United States when he attended the United Nations General Assembly. An albatross also hangs on his neck as the international Criminal Court presses human rights crimes against him.