By Ragan M. Conteh
The Leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC), in Parliament, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, has urged Members of Parliament to treat, with great seriousness, issues presented by political party leaders regarding the Decentralization Policy.
Dr Kandeh Yumkella said, “If 82% of all political parties in Sierra Leone (13 out of 17, including 3 out of the 4 in Parliament APC, NGC and C4C), representing 70% of the Councilors in the country, have opposed the non-partisan local councils proposal from the government, why force it down their throats?” he asked.
Yumkella told the Committee on Local Government recently that their decisions and the next steps to be taken by the political parties will determine the survival of multiparty democracy in Sierra Leone.
Recently, opposition parties, including the APC, NGC and C4C released a statement voicing out their opposition to the government’s proposed plans to remove political parties’ dominance at the local level.
“We, the undersigned political parties, are vehemently opposed to the introduction of non-partisan local council elections in Sierra Leone; and are of the opinion that the proposal should be abandoned with immediate effect,” they noted.
They said none of the political parties was informed or consulted in respect of the development of the National Decentralization Policy prior to the public announcement made by the said minister.
The Consortium furthered that none of the undersigned political parties is in receipt of either a draft or the final copy of the new National Decentralization Policy that the Minister of Local Government says has been approved by Cabinet.
“We consider it to be wholly unacceptable; that our knowledge of the content of this critical policy is limited to key clauses outlined in the press statements made by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and members of his review team.,” the Consortium opines.
The Consortium furthered that a key clause of the new National Decentralization Policy, which has been trumpeted in the media by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, states that, “a person seeking to be a member of a local council, as an elected councilor, shall present himself to the electorate as an independent candidate; Councils are going to be non-partisan.”
Having engaged elected representatives, within the Local Councils, about the consultation process conducted by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Consortium says the feedback is that there was overwhelming rejection of the proposal of non-partisan elections by the local council stakeholders who were consulted by the Ministry of Local Government and their review team.
“We, the undersigned political parties, are of the view that the introduction of this clause, into the National Decentralization Policy, is a direct assault on Sierra Leone’s multi-party democracy and a calculated move, by the current SLPP government, to illegitimately consolidate power in all Local Councils and to eliminate political opposition,” the Consortium said.
The existing Local Government Act 2004 clearly states in Part III, paragraph 4 (4) that, “A person seeking to be a member of a local council, as an elected Councilor, may present himself to the electorate as a candidate of a political party or as an independent candidate.”
There is already a provision in the Local Government Act 2004 for candidates to run for office in the Local Councils as independents. The Government’s attempt to introduce legislation, that makes being an independent candidate for local council elections mandatory, is unacceptable.
They said the Sierra Leone 1991 Constitution is founded on the principles of multi-party democracy and the right of association. Sections 15(b) and 26 of the 1991 Constitution guarantee all Sierra Leoneans the right and freedom to assemble and to associate.
The introduction of mandatory non-partisan local elections is contrary to both the constitutional principles and the constitutional rights of the citizens of Sierra Leone. The Constitution cannot be overridden by subsequent legislation as it is supreme.
The introduction of non-partisan elections will go against the provisions of Section 35(1) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which categorically states the role of political parties with regards supporting the less wealthy (including women, youth and the disabled) during Local Government elections.
The vulnerable citizens will be excluded from participating in what should be the most inclusive election within the multi-party democracy should they be unable to pay nomination fees and campaign costs.
The educational criterion, included in the policy, also contradicts the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. It is clear that non-partisan local council elections will be subjected to major interference from the ruling government.
Another point, the Consortium cited, is the process of short-listing potential candidates who will be transferred from the political parties to the ruling government, which will enable them to ensure that only candidates, favoured by the government, are allowed to contest.
In the current multi-party democratic system, the political parties play a major role in short-listing candidates within their party through the award of symbols.
In the proposed non-partisan system, that process will move to the ruling government (potentially through the establishment of a Commission appointed by the President and influenced by the ruling government).
They state that, with the level of interference demonstrated in the elections of ostensibly non-political organizations, it is clear that the process of short-listing candidates will be used by the ruling government to handpick and give advantage to pro-ruling party supporters. The proposed policy will unduly influence the ongoing review of the electoral laws.
After perusing the document, the political parties totally and unequivocally reject the introduction of non-partisan local council elections and hold the view that the Government of Sierra Leone should abandon the proposal and focus on addressing more pressing issues, such as quality education, economic growth and job creation, which are affecting the daily lives of the citizens of Sierra Leone.”
It now remains to be seen whether the government will drop its plans to take away party political democracy from local citizens, which many believe would ultimately lead to a one party state in Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, during Government weekly press briefing, told the media and the general public that Cabinet has approved a new National Decentralization Policy.