By Emmanuel Sahr Tengbeh
Although local and international observers say June-24 lacks transparency, President Julius Maada Bio already has a team of ministers he is working with. The Bio regime is illegal in the eyes of the international community who have called for its dissolution. A parliament with only one political party cannot legally approve presidential nominees.
The main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) is conspicuously absent in parliament owing to what it referred to as “rigged elections.”
Opposition politicians have refused to participate at all levels of governance until credible election results are published by polling stations and districts to ensure transparency and credibility.
A six-month ultimatum was recently issued to ECSL (Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone) to either publish accurate results or hold fresh elections without the current Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC), Mohamed Kenewui Konneh and other commissioners. APC wanted to see that international commissioners conduct and supervise the elections, a demand government has bashed at.
The CEC earlier said he would not resign and same time kicked against publishing the result by polling stations saying it is not part of the law.
The stalemate continues and the international community is taking tough actions against the Bio regime. The United States has been at the forefront of seeing Bio’s “illegitimate government” dissolved pending investigation.
A team of investigators, according to reliable sources, is on the way to Sierra Leone on a fact-finding mission seeking to establish whether President Bio is the actual winner of the elections or not. The embattled President will be forced to step down if evidence of rigging is adduced.
Despite calls to put a hold on appointment of ministers, Bio still presses on. He retains most of the ministers and senior government officials of the past regime. He has already hit the ground running as he garners support from the international community. Although UN, EU, US and UK among others frown at the elections, Bio is however receiving congratulations from few African Heads of States except Guinean President, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya who have imposed sanctions on Sierra Leone by not allowing basic food items into the country including Rice, Sierra Leone’s staple.
US has also taken similar line of action against as it withholds about USD150m grant from Sierra Leone. The MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation) has pulled out of Sierra Leone with its USD400m which would have been spent on Sierra Leone. The MCC is a US agency that provides grants based on the extent to which a country achieves good governance benchmarks.
EU too has withheld millions of dollars meant for supporting Sierra Leone in her national development projects. Other countries and inter-government agencies have also gone away. The punitive action is to weaken and crumble Bio’s government ahead of time. However is appeasing the international community to see him as a legitimate President to complete his second-term which many say is a “stolen mandate.”
He hopes to achieve this aim through David Moinina Sengeh, former education minister now Chief Minister. Mr Sengeh, few days ago, met EU Ambassador and British High Commissioner, Manuel Muller and Lisa Chesney respectively on strengthening long-standing relations with Sierra Leone.
For many Sierra Leoneans, it is a tactical move to mesmerise the international community after a sinister rigging of elections. The Chief Minister’s desperate engagement with members of the diplomatic community come at a time swords have been drawn between President Bio and the West.
His moves also have left many questions than answers in the face of the current political impasse. Though subtle, the Chief Minister’s appeals for peace and strong relations have been interpreted as one seeking to curry favour from the international community after Bio bulldozed his way late last month.
It was an act for which the West will not forgive him although Sengeh is unwary about this. Observers in the media and the public say either the Chief Minister is not sincere with the international community or seeks to lower their morale in Sierra Leone.
Signs that the international body will not reverse their decision have already crystallised as they speak with one voice over Sierra Leone’s situation.
Their
Stance was supported by the local election monitoring body, National Elections Watch (NEW) led by a long reigning civil society activist, Marcella Samba Sesay. NEW stands out among key agencies criticising the June-24 elections.
In a press release of 15th June, 2023, NEW accuses ECSL of lacking transparency especially in the printing of ballot papers. “ECSL confirmed that ballot papers for early voting were printed in Sierra Leone.
They had earlier informed the PPLC (Political Parties Liaison Committee) that ballot papers printed in South Africa would arrive on Saturday 17th June, 2023,” a portion of press release reads. ECLS’ statements, according to NEW, means that ballot papers for the elections have been printed in two different countries, and possibly by two different countries.
The election monitoring body is concerned about the protection, custody, verifiability, transparency and accountability on the production of ballot papers printed in two different countries for the same elections. Non-clarity of the early voter’s list also featured in the press release.
It stated that early voter’s list was not displayed and the number of voters for early voting disaggregated by districts was not available.
‘Best practice,’ the press release, further reads, demands that voters’ list be made public ahead of an election. ECSL also violates section 4 of the Public Elections (Early Voting) Regulations, 2023 which provides for an early voter’s list to be made available to political parties on request.
“The Public Elections (Early voting) Regulations of 2023 section 3 provides for an early voters’ list, issuance of the early voters’ list to political parties on request and issuance of certificate to enable voters to vote,” the press release further noted.
ECSL also failed to communicate, on time, the date for the early voting. NEW said the date for the early voting was communicated at a PPLC meeting held in Freetown on 14th June, 2023 less than 24 hours to the commencement of voting.
Findings from observers in polling stations also indicate that some voters were turned away. Most were not allowed to vote for the preferred candidates. From the issues highlighted, it is clear that the early voting was marred by electoral irregularities.
Although NEW does not call for another early voting, it makes strong recommendations for consideration by ECSL in future elections.
The election body must furnish the public with information about the service provider that printed the ballot papers for the early voting and how many were printed. Consistency in the management of elections to increase public trust and confidence was another recommendation made by NEW.
Like NEW, other Local bodies have also criticised ECSL for frauding the elections, but the bashing has not wavered Bio’s zeal in pressing ahead with his new government hoping that the Chief Minister will succeed in his venture. Many says it is a “failed attempt” since Mr Sengeh is not seasoned enough to turn situation in Bio’s favour. The international community have made up their minds and that cannot be changed at the eleventh hour. They will not take a bed rest until Bio dissolves his cabinet, a move that paves way for fresh elections.