After registration of voters, raw data is often provided to political parties, international community and members of the public after registration for transparency and fair play. The data is a breakdown analysis of total voters in a ward, constituency, district, regional and national. With such record in hand, fear of rigging is allayed. But, situation is however seemingly taking a u-turn. By its looks, ECSL is in no mood to provide the data to opposition political parties, the diplomatic community as well as other election stakeholders. No reason or justification for ECSL’s action has been provided.
In a press conference held almost two weeks ago, Secretary-General, for the main opposition, APC (All People’s Congress), Lansana Dumbuya, during a press conference, demanded that ECSL furnish APC with the complete voters’ details if his party was to go into the June 24 general elections. The controversial issue of the voter cards also came up.
Mr Dumbuya called on ECSL to change or improve on the voter cards or they take to the streets in a peaceful protest. The cards’ features especially the voters are unidentifiable, and APC fears that the cards might be used to stop their members from voting.
An ultimatum was also offered by the APC scribe that they could use the voter ID cards only if ECSL provides the data. ECSL has not responded since the request was made almost two weeks ago. It goes without saying that the election body can prevent a protest only if it does the needful, says APC Secretary-General during last week’s press conference. Apart from the data and voter cards, Mr Dumbuya has always demanded that a level playing field be created and neutrality observed throughout the process.
“If ECSL does not respond to our demands, our supporters will take to the streets,” Lawyer Dumbuya stressed referring to the cards as sub-standard, “Foo Foo” and “Yukie Yukie.” ECSL has gone beyond the deadline set by APC as the election body is yet to come out with a statement despite promise of a quick response by its Spokesperson, Christopher Jones. “I advise APC not to jump into to the streets but to wait for ECSL’s response which would come out soon and will be made public,” he assured.
As ECSL prepares to respond, some personalities (names not mentioned), sources said, had been prevailing on the APC presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara to go into the elections with the ID cards. It remains unclear, at the moment, whether Kamara will accept the pleas and appeals. APC members however are calling on Dr Kamara to reject such calls describing this year’s polls as a do-or-die.
To endure that peace and sanity prevails before, during and after elections, ECSL has been urged by members of the public to make the data public so that opposition political parties could be assured that the elections are free, fair and transparent.
In all previous elections, all political parties as well as the international community are furnished with voters’ information ahead of voting. the question why is ECSL refusing to provide the data remains the most frequently asked. The electoral agency is also under constant pressure to improve or change the voter cards for the sake of fairness.
Many say no election has taken place in Sierra Leone in which the voter cannot be identified in the card. Apart from the unidentification of the voters, other features are also unidentifiable which, many say is a big room for rigging. It is a popular argument that SLPP cannot win June 24 election if it is conducted in a free and Fair manner. Throughout the five years, the ruling party reneged on its major promises and the only way out is to vote them out. As SLPP politicians vow not to go, ECSL is the only agency they could turn to for hope and solace in the ballot after all tactics have failed. But, others say the election body is a frail reel to lean on.
However, ECSL is urged to be neutral in the coming election. Any good thing done for the ruling party must also be done for the opposition as the old adage holds what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. ECSL should not be seen to back any party although they were appointed by the erstwhile SLPP government. ECSL is a public institution set up by law and funded by state resources and not the private money of politicians. Its neutrality can be seen in the extent to which the electoral process is free, fair and credible. Being transparent means every political party and stakeholder should see or know every step along the way in the electoral process so that trust is not lost.
Citizens as well as political parties can take ownership of the electoral process if it is transparent. Transparency also ensures peace before, during and after the elections, and the only way SLPP can ensure peace is when the election is peaceful and credible. Sierra Leone is a post-conflict state and is still in the process of healing and reconciliation. Between 1991 and 2002, the country was at war within itself as a group of disappointed youth took up arms against the then government of President Joseph Saidu Momoh. Their aim was to remove APC which had been in power for decades through the installation of a one-party state.
This dream was realised in April, 1992 when President Momoh was toppled, but the war still raged on. It was in 2002 that Sierra Leone’s civil war was officially declared over when arms and ammunition were symbolically burned at a military garrison in Lungi town in PortLoko district. In order to prevent another rebellion, government made effort to know what were the causes of conflict. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, 2004 was clear that social injustice, corruption, abuse of human rights and absence of democracy among others led to the war.
The report therefore recommend that government should devise new principles of national security that reflect the will of Sierra Leoneans to live in perpetual peace and harmony. Towards this end, public institutions must be strengthened to do justice to all. No person or group of persons should be discriminated on the basis of tribe, place of birth, race, religion, region and political affiliation.
In the immediate post-war period, public institutions walked towards this direction. It started from the days of President Ahmed Tejan Kabba to Ernest Bai Koroma. Both ruled for two terms: Kabba was President between 1996 and 2007 while Ernest Koroma ruled between 2007 and 2018. In the two post-war administrations, things went well in Sierra Leone as people’s rights, freedoms and civil liberties were recognised and respected, Opposition politicians were tolerated, the political space widely opened and a level playing field created for all political parties.
Things however took a sudden twist when President Julius Maada Bio took over the reins of state command in April, 2018. In the Bio regime, opposition parties are less tolerated by creating a big buffer Zone. No room exists where SLPP and opposition parties can come together to discuss issues of national importance. In the past, President Koroma appeared tolerant to political opponents than the current dispensation, many argue. President Bio, Dr Prince Harding, John Benjamin and other important SLPP functionaries would meet Ernest Koroma either at State House or State Lodge to discuss national issues.
It was crystal clear that Koroma cooperated with Bio and others between 2014 and 2016 when Ebola Virus struck. It was reported that Bio got a good chunk of the Ebola funds to sensitise his people in the South-East regions although he rendered no account at the end of the day. Many say Bio continues his intolerance to opposition politicians throughout his tenure.
Most were arrested and jailed on false charges and others killed along the way. The high level of intolerance resulted into political tension that drove key investors and businessmen away. Potential investors were also scared of coming to Sierra Leone.No country prospers without sound investment, and so be it for Sierra Leone. In his five years, Bio achieved little, and Sierra Leoneans seem dissatisfied with his leadership, and look ready to demonstrate the dissatisfaction in the ballot box.
Except a miracle is worked out, Bio is sure to lose June-24 elections. Except ECSL says otherwise, and signs are clear that the people are ready to protect their votes at all cost and against all odds. The future of this country is in the hands of ECSL. As threats of protests loom, the principal law enforcement agency, Sierra Leone Police has lately issued warning to opposition political parties to keep the peace or face the wrath of the law.
In a press release issued few days ago, the police promised to respond to security threats since their duty is to maintain order and keep the peace. The public especially APC members keep a watchful eye on police action in recent times. They have always treated the police with suspicion owing to what they say a lack of neutrality seen in double-standards policing.
The law enforcers are always ever ready to back the party in power as against other political parties. A senior APC official, name not mentioned, said it would have been prudent for the head of the police force to caution the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh on the need to be fair to all political parties to avert conflict.
Security of Sierra Leone, he said, had been entrusted to the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff after the dissolution of Parliament about a month ago. They should not sit with folded arms and allow one person to drag the country to conflict. As events unfold, the non-provision of the raw data as demanded by the opposition is a recipe for chaos.