Government officials have failed to show up at the Election Investigation Committee (EIC) which should have started yesterday, says Dr Kaifala Marah in a tweet that have gone viral. Mr Marah, a former Minister and senior APC official was selected co-Chair the EIC which was set up to investigate alleged irregularities of June 24, 2023 elections.
The former minster sees government’s action as one that can take EIC’s work backwards. “Unfortunately, the Cross-Party Committee on Electoral Review didn’t commence work today, 13th December, 2023. We urge Government of Sierra Leone to allow the process to begin,” Marah appeals to government while reminding them delay tactics is unhelpful to the much-needed review.
He also lashed out at the Chief Minister, Moinina Sengeh for what he refers as a deception of the public. “Implementation update on the ‘Agreement of National Unity’ by the Chief Minister is misleading under Resolution-3. Co-chairs (APC and Government of Sierra Leone) did not commit to provide feedback on draft ToRs but to start work today,” the APC strong man hit Sengeh.
It is not clear whether the former minister’s appeal would be honoured by government as it appears as if the authorities were no longer willing to put the committee into full swing.
A counter tweet by Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh also goes some distance to show that government is not too prepared for the communique.
“…Government continues to look forward to engaging APC on the way forward to full implementation. It would be great if APC could help all listed prisoners return to prison,” the Chief Minister responded to Dr Marah.
Many Sierra Leoneans especially senior opposition politicians have come to see Sengeh’s response as a retort as he sounded as if the prions were opened by the APC.
The Chief Minister’s comment has also raised large eye-brows about his recent visit to the prison with many saying it was a stock-taking to evade justice when the committee sits. The allegation is not too far from what the Chief Minister is presenting today.
It was also reported that SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) Secretary-General, Umaro Napoleon Koroma was reported saying the United Nations Resident Coordinator is yet to take his seat at the committee.
A senior APC official, Dr Richard Conteh has also frowned at government’s snail-pace move towards the investigation of the election fraud. He doubts who is fooling who saying the “scheduled meeting has been postponed and the new United Nations Resident Coordinator cannot present his credentials to the President.”
Dr Conteh also claimed that Resolution-2 of the communique which borders on APC ending its non-participation in governance has not been implemented in good faith.
APC’s participation in the governance of the state, according to the communique, hinges on the payment of backlogs for the past three months they had stayed out of parliament owing to what many call a flawed electoral process.
“the parties to the dialogue agree that upon assumption of their elective governance positions, all elected APC officials (members of parliament, mayors, chairpersons and councillors) will have the issue regarding their entitlements addressed accordingly by the appropriate institutions,” a portion of the communique reads.
If government means business, APC parliamentarians and councillors ought to have got their backlogs the day they take up their seats in parliament and councils.
But, it is now close to two months without the opposition getting back their backlogs not even their normal salaries, allowances and constituency development fund.
The burning issue recently came up in parliament while debating the 2024 budget with an SLPP parliamentarian making it clear that government had no money to pay backlogs.
The statement prompted a sharp rely from the Deputy Opposition Leader, Daniel Koroma that APC law makers were not in parliament for money but the people’s interest.
To calm down nerves, Speaker of parliament, Dr Abass Bundu stood down the house for several minutes. Apart from non-payment of backlogs, failure to release prisoners as demanded by the communique is also seen as a sign of SLPP’s refusal to honour its obligations in the communique.
“The parties to the dialogue also agree to the release of any person arrested, detained or imprisoned for alleged elections and civil protest informed by a list to be submitted by the APC and other political parties and considered by the government of Sierra Leone,” the communique also stated.
The disrespect of the communique, according to Dr Conteh, also goes on as no political case has been set aside despite fine promises a month ago that politically motivated trials would be discontinued on the day APC’s elected officials end their boycott.
The communique also provides for putting an end to such trials as it states that “the parties to the dialogue agree to the discontinuation of any politically motivated court cases against the APC and other parties and their supporters based on a list to be submitted by the APC and other parties and considered by government by the government of Sierra Leone as soon as possible.”
It does not stop there as SLPP also accepted the burden of supporting the resettlement of any political parties supporters internally and externally displaced due to political intimidation, attacks and harassment in accordance with a list to be submitted by the APC and other political parties.
These demands however are big albatrosses around government’s neck with officials on dodgy tricks. Others have also come to see it as a big challenge seeing Chief Minister’s signing of the communique as a big leap in the dark.
Whether there are challenges or not, the EIC’s mandate lasts for six months with effect from the day the communique was signed, and last Wednesday would have seen the writing of preambles had things gone as planned.
EIC officials were supposed to have drawn the terms of reference that will set the stage for the investigation. Although not yet put in black and white, the terms of reference might include the publication of results by polling stations and districts, use of donor funds, procurement of election materials, manipulation of the electoral legal framework, counting and tabulation of votes and the declaration of President Bio winner of the elections.
Since the election was held in June, this year, genuine results as demanded by the international community and the people of Sierra Leone are yet to be published.
On several occasions, Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh have rejected calls to publish true results to have a clear reflection of the people’s will. Funds donated by the international community was also suspected to have been embezzled by the election authorities as shown in the printing of sub-standard and faceless voter ID cards, the first dubious act in Sierra Leone’s election history.
Suspicion of fraud was heightened when election authorities borrowed 11, 000 boxes from neighbouring Guinea, a move that attracted another huge public backlash. Counting and tabulation of votes also lacked transparency according to local and international observers.
The declaration of Bio winner of the election was also an illegal move by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone with pressure currently mounting on Mohamed Konneh.
ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) recently cautioned Government of Sierra Leone to respect resolutions in the communique for the peace and stability of Sierra Leone. The ECOWAS’s appeal follows calls made by the US, UK, EU and other development partners on government officials to honour resolutions in the communique as they stand ready to support the process. It however remains unclear whether government will bow to international pressure.