Neighbouring Liberia has taken an edge in democracy over Sierra Leone by working towards a free, fair and credible election slated for October, 2023. In Liberia, voters are registered, and identity cards given to them on the spot without cool off. The complete voter register, few days ago, had been published after correcting minor errors.
“Yes, the final voter list has been published by the Electoral Commission after all foul play has been removed, that is, those who registered more than once,” A resident in Liberia confirmed to this press. The final voter’s list is placed on walls of public buildings so that citizens know the exact number of voters in the country and to forestall rigging.
The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) however is deviating from the Liberian model although Sierra Leone prides itself with a strong democracy. ECSL Chief, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh who is battling with rigging allegations released, a week ago, a voter register which many said was fake. The list which came out after much pressure from opposition political parties had been withdrawn.
At the moment, it remains unclear when the actual data would be produced if at all there is any. As the delays and blunders persist, ECSL chief recently came under fire.
Credible sources intimated this press that Kenewui Konneh was questioned by the international community about the correct data which he could not produce. His reply indicated that he paid more attention to the 2018 voter register than the current one. Discussions and debates were sparked up by Konneh’s response since this is the first time for the sad occurrence to take place. No electoral commissioner ever has made such a fatal mistake.
In the 1996 election, the complete data was published few months before Sierra Leoneans went to the polls. Similar moves were also seen in the 2002 elections where the voters’ register was brought to public domain ahead of elections. The act was also repeated in 2007 where the data was published before the polls. It was also the case with 2012 and 2018 elections; why not 2023?
As Liberia walk towards fairness and transparency in the conduct and supervision of elections, the potential for demonstrations and protest is reduced to its lowest level. One hardly hears about street protests in Liberia where democratic principles are upheld and protected. It was only once during George Weah’s presidency that Liberians protested.
Even when they did, the security forces protected the people throughout. The forces of law and order ensured that no one was hurt till the protest died down. Liberian journalists who shared their findings with this press stated that police officers offered drinking water to the protesters. The one-day protest ended peacefully owing to such respect of citizens’ rights. Sierra Leone is also a bit different from Liberia in handling protests.
Bloodbath took place in Sierra Leone during the August 10, 2022 demonstrations. 31 people including six police officers died during a protest which initially started peacefully not counting those who were allegedly extra-judicially executed by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Lahai Lawrence Leema. Although state authorities said the protest was orchestrated and financed by opposition parties, many said it was a move against an unbearably high cost of living and ‘BIO MUST GO,’ was the protesters’ slogan.
Under Konneh’s reign, Sierra Leone’s political culture is being lost, and sign of recovering it does not exist. After registration of voters, raw data is often provided to political parties, international community and members of the public for transparency and fair play. The data is a breakdown analyses of total voters in wards, constituencies, districts and regions. 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 recent press conference held at the party’s headquarters, Secretary-General, for the main opposition, APC (All People’s Congress), Lansana Dumbuya 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 in June, 24. An ultimatum was also offered by the APC scribe that they could use the voter ID cards only if ECSL provides the data.
The electoral authorities have 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 previously assured APC members. To ensure 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.
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 frailty. 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. 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 youth took up arms against the their fellow citizens.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. many argue 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. A press release issued few weeks back, 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. 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. The manner in which the Liberian and Sierra Leonean election chiefs were appointed also considerably differs. Liberian Election Chief, Davidetta Browne Lansana was appointed in accordance with legally accepted procedures. She took the oath of office in April, 2020 that she would conduct credible elections for the Liberians.
It is clear that Lansana’s steps aim at free and fair elections, a move that creates no room for violence. On the other hand, Konneh’s appointment came in July, 2021 left many questions than answers. For many, Sierra Leone’s Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC) is not properly seated since the proper procedures for appointment were discarded. The Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 states that the CEC shall be appointed upon consultation with leaders of political parties.
In his appointment, political parties were not consulted not even APC, the main opposition. When the controversial appointment was raised by the APC spokesman, as well as officials of other opposition parties, the issue was rebuffed by government arguing that their action was legal.
At the time of his appointment, Konneh was a senior government official heading the Financial Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Finance. The law also required him to resign 12 months to appointment, but he failed to do so, an act which amounted to a major breach. He however had a field day since the party in power was pleased with him. It was clear that going to court to challenge the appointment amounted to beating a dead horse. Government hardly loses a case in court especially one that has to do with their political existence.
Since no justice prevails in the land, Konneh was allowed to go in as CEC with hope that he might do the right thing. But, what the people are seeing today is a complete miscarriage of justice not in the courtroom but ECSL. In such a situation, the people have no choice, but to embark on peaceful demonstration to make their voices heard. Protest is the language of the oppressed, says Africanist Press, a US-based media agency.