Fear and despair seems to have gripped the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) as the Tripartite Committee ends the election probe late next month.
June 24, 2023 election is allegedly marred by marked electoral irregularities that brought about the formation of the Tripartite to investigate and make recommendations for a free and fair electoral process in the future.
Opposition politicians alleged that thousands of first-time voters were disenfranchised in opposition strongholds using data supplied by the National Civil Registration Authority, and other forms of delay tactics.
Even those who voted did so very late as pointed out by local and international election observation missions. To keep the people in fear, security forces were let on the loose to lord it over opposition politicians as well as their supporters and perceived sympathisers.
Indiscriminate arrest and detention of political opponents before, during and after the elections was widely reported in various communities in Freetown and the provinces except South-East regions, heartlands of the ruling party.
The arrest started during registration of voters as most were linked to the August 10, 2022 protest in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown and other parts in the North-West regions where mobs brutally murdered six police officers while 25 protesters also lost their lives.
Firing of teargas canisters and live rounds for minor security breaches became the rule other than the exception during the election.
As the eye-burning smoke from baton guns, hangs on the atmosphere, it was quite not easy for panic-stricken voters especially women to take part in the process. The unprecedented scale of voter apathy undermined the election process.
The ceaseless spates of arrest forced many voters into staying at home without voting, and such went a long way in undermining the credibility of the electoral process.
Majority of the voters do not trust the June elections and call for a re-count of the votes to determine the actual winner are widespread. The voters are sure of a rerun or fresh election if it is discovered that SLPP did not genuinely win the election. The probe goes on with high hope that the votes will be made to reflect the will of the people.
It remains unclear whether the June polls would be a rerun as the PAOPA regime clocks one year in office next month.
The incumbent, President Julius Maada Bio was declared winner of the elections in June 27, 2023 by the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh three days after voting. The results which are yet to go to the gazette offered 56.17% of the total votes cast to the incumbent party leaving 43.83% of the votes for the opposition.
The declaration sparked an array of protest in the North-West regions, strongholds of the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) backed by local and international election reports which discredited the electoral process.
Some mainstream SLPP members, not the PAOPAs, believed that the election was rigged as they expected a run off as the signs were clear that SLPP would not make it in the first round, but forced their way by swearing in himself under tight security.
To date, the PAOPAs have held no inauguration out of fear that it would be snubbed by members of the diplomatic community.
Upon his seeming re-election, Bio received no congratulation from any of his counterparts in the sub-region while he keeps on congratulating others. He recently congratulated Senegal newly elected President who returned no sentiments of good will.
As the debate rages on, Konneh has come under intense criticism blaming him for the big mess that has soiled SLPP in particular and the country in general.
Calls for the publication of the voter register and results by polling stations and districts fell in deaf ears with government officials saying the election is over when it is yet over.
Failure to publish the register and the results as demanded by the people of Sierra Leone and the international community, there is no way they can be accepted and the Bio regime will continue to grapple with legitimacy crisis at local and international platforms.
Facts gathered by this press about the ongoing election probe, the investigators find it difficult in getting cooperation from the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Konneh who is hesitant to surrender the much-needed election results for a through probe.
APC’s co-chair, Dr Kaifala Marrah was blunt to state that the election boss was the only government authority that is not cooperating with the committee.
But, out of pressure, the Chief Electoral Commissioner has submitted the election results to the committee waiting to be analysed by the election experts set to jet into Sierra Leone in few days.
According to reliable sources, SLPP officials spend sleepless nights at the moment as none ever wanted again to go into elections with the APC out of fear of a crushing defeat.
The country is tough these days as people especially the have-nots struggle to eke a living.
Inflation is spiraling out of control, living conditions sharply deteriorating, electricity blackouts persisting and the economy melting down as if no one was in control.
In such a situation, it could be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the ruling party to make it in the polls in a free, fair and credible atmosphere.
In the midst of such fear, questions keep pouring in about what will be the ruling party’s main option if a rerun or fresh election is recommended by the Tripartite Committee.
Is it going to be business as usual or Konneh and his commissioners forced out of the commission?
As the post-election stalemate still lingers, Sierra Leone seems to have lost its place in the eyes of the international community.
She once had the honour of being the third most peaceful country in West Africa and the fastest growing economy according to global ranking.
About a year ago, Sierra Leone also won a seat in the Security Council, the highest and most important organ of the United Nations.
However, Sierra Leone has failed to turn such fortunes in her favour owing to the allegedly blatant rigging of the June elections.
Critics hold the view that Bio as a great man made a great mistake for not taking the election into a run off out of fear that he would be chased by the incoming President if he handed over power.
He also blundered by thinking that the election will be an APC-SLPP affair paying less attention to a third party in the drama, the international community (the United Nations, European Union, Commonwealth, African Union and ECOWAS).
These bodies, from the onset, demand that the election results be properly counted with a view to hold fresh election if significant irregularities are discovered at the end of the probe.
Although SLPP is hesitant into going into a rerun, the opposition is quite confident priding itself with the legacy of always taking power from SLPP while SLPP has done so only once.
APC defeated SLPP in 1967 general elections, but Albert Margai failed to concede and the chronology of political events in the immediate post-independent country were nothing to write home about.
APC also took power from SLPP in the 2007 elections in which late Vice President Solomon Ekuma Berewa was the incumbent.
However, SLPP only got back power from APC owing to demands of a regime change by the international community.
The current flag-bearer, Samura Kamara was said to have massively won the election, but gave up for the country’s peace and stability.
But, in June, 2023, he came back with full force to clinch another political victory resisted by the PAOPA regime for which an investigation is underway. All tactics to take APC’s victory have failed but it is hoped that the Tripartite Committee will bring back the victory.
APC, by all indications, is ready to go into fresh elections with SLPP as long as the process is transparent and credible while SLPP fear a fair election.