As violent demonstrations hang on the air, Civil Society Union, Sierra Leone (CSU-SL) urges state security apparatus to warn the Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC), Mohamed Kenewui Konneh to release the voter registration data for June-24 elections.
The CSU-SL made the appeal in a press release dated 5th June, 2023 as threats of violence continue unabated. Office of National Security (ONS), Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) are expected to play a pro-active role to ensure peace and security reigns within the state.
“The CSU-SL is calling on the attention of ONS, the Inspector-General of Police, and other relevant institutions to intervene in addressing this issue as it poses a threat to the peace and security of the state,” the press release reads in part.
Head of the judiciary, the Chief Justice is also expected to step into an issue that will lead to strikes and demonstrations. These bodies are to ensure that ECSL publish the data without further delays to avert political tension and controversies.
The release came days after all effort to ensure that ECSL produces the the registration statistics failed. The move has raised large eyebrows among civil society organisations and the public. “It has come to the notice of Civil Society Union-Sierra Leone that ECSL…has not been able to publish a detailed account of the number of registered voters that have collected their voter ID cards per registration centres, the number of voters per polling centres and stations that are expected in June-24 elections,” the press release further reads.
It is also noted in the release that ECSL’s failure to publish the accurate statistics on the registration has damaged the credibility of the management of ECSL in conducting and producing “an anticipated free, fair and credible elections for the citizens of Sierra Leone.”
As civil society organisations intensify calls for intervention, the main opposition, APC (All People’s Congress) heads for the court to seek redress. The move, according to one of APC’s lawyers, Ahmed Sesay is to ensure that the court orders ECSL to produce the data ahead of elections. “ECSL is not in compliance with the law, and our next action is to make sure that the court compels them to produce a comprehensive data,” Lawyer Sesay told the press.
It however remains unclear when will the case against ECSL be stated for hearing. Doubts and apprehensions have also come up as APC prepares for litigation. The public, drawing from past experiences, are not sure whether APC will see a headway as the matter indirectly touches President Julius Maada Bio and his government. Cases of proportional representation and the removal of 10 APC parliamentarians are cited as bright examples. Many say Bio will lose the election if freely and fairly conducted, and will not sit with folded arms to see APC wins the election.
Fear of one-term rule also reigns high in the incumbent candidate. If he fails to clinch victory, Bio will go down in history as the first President to rule for only a term. As the data stalemate continues, sources have also intimated this press that 2023 voter list does not exist at all. At a meeting held at State Lodge, sources said, the ECSL Chief made it clear that he paid less attention to 2023 data.
Suffice it to say that Konneh relied on 2018 data to conduct 2023 election, a move that does not augur well for the country’s peace and security. It is a real frailty and vagaries. It is also reported that the international community (EU, US, UK, UN, ECOWAS etc) has questioned the ECSL about the data, and there is no response at the moment.
The ECSL chief now faces tough time, and may resign willingly or forced to vacate office. Failing to produce the voter statistics is just the latest move of a rigging spree by the ECSL chief. Moves of rigging the 2023 election started during and after the registration period between September and October, last year.
Many voters especially first-timers were rejected in the North-West regions on the grounds that they are yet to attain voting ages. Most were referred to the National Civil Registration Authority for verification of names. Such moves never took place in South-East regions where government expected to get the high votes. It also took ECSL quite a long time to release the exact number of voters captured in the registration process.
The figures only came out later after much pressure from the public. Voter cards, released after registration, are sub-standard, and they are not worth the purpose. It is extremely difficult to accept a voter card in which in which the voter is unidentifiable. The Black-and-White nature of the cards also renders it impossible for other features to be seen clearly. With this situation, APC says it will not go into the election until the errors are rectified.
In a seeming agreement with APC’s position, many Sierra Leoneans say this is the first election where the voter cannot be identified in the voter ID card. How can ECSL staff and party agents detect and stop wrong people from voting in the election? This question remains unanswered.
At the moment, Konneh’s competence and integrity has been put to the greatest test. The red flag about his competence came under the spotlight when he was single-handedly picked up from the Financial Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Finance to head ECSL.
Those with the requisite experience were left out. Miatta French, former Electoral Commissioner for Western Area was arbitrarily removed from ECSL, a move that prompted many questions. Miatta and other experienced commissioners have gone leaving ECSL in dire need of good brains. The mess has shown that Konneh has little or no experience in the conduct and supervision of elections.