The dust on stolen votes is yet to settle as investigation is underway. In a press release dated 19th October, 2023, the United States has strengthened her call on government and other relevant stakeholders to investigate the fraud on June polls.
“The United States applauds the decision to form a joint, inclusive leadership for this commission and to ensure that its work focuses both on the results tabulation process and the conduct of the election commission of Sierra Leone,” the US urged government.
From the outset, the United States has been quite critical of the June election fraud and calls for investigation.
Its renewed call came after the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) agreed to form a cross-party committee to review the conduct and results of June, 2023 multi-tier elections. The US believes that the investigation will address “long-standing” institutional challenges to free, fair and credible elections.
According to the communique, the cross-party committee is tripartite in nature and is sure to end election rigging if properly and fully implemented. Resolution-3 of the communique states that “His Excellency the President, in consultation with APC, will constitute a cross-party committee on electoral systems and management bodies review with a three-way leadership nominated by the Government of Sierra Leone, the APC and development partners,” a portion of the communique also reads.
The body, according to the peace document, will examine electoral systems, structures and processes of the 2023 multi-tier electoral cycle. The investigative body will also be informed by previous elections with a view to highlighting and addressing contentious issues of election and result management including the collation, verification authentication and publishing of data consistent with international best practice to enhance the credibility of all future elections in Sierra Leone.
The terms of reference will be developed under the joint leadership of the committee within 30 days.
The committee’s lifespan will not go beyond six months and its recommendations should be actionable and implementable although some government officials say it is not binding.
The investigation is a move that is very high in the US’s agenda according to the October press statement.
“The United States Embassy recognises that this agreement represents but a first step in the process of rebuilding trust, promoting national cohesion and strengthening democracy in Sierra Leone.
For this process to advance, leaders of all political parties will need to ensure that the agreement on national unity is implemented rapidly and fully in letter and in spirit,” the press statement also reads in part. The US hails the proposed committee for the election investigation as a landmark agreement that represents a critical step in Sierra Leone’s democratic journey.
The election investigation committee, a product of a three-day dialogue brokered by members of the international community, earns the full support of the United States.
According to the press statement, the US appreciates and recognises work undertaken by mediators from the African Union, Commonwealth of Nations and the Economic Community Of West African states.
The dialogue ended a three-month non-participation of APC into state governance as a way of protesting an election widely believed to have been rigged. APC’s parliamentarians, mayors, chairmen and councillors refused to take their seats after the declaration of Julius Maada Bio winner of the June polls.
But, with fine promises in the communique, the elected officials returned to parliament and councils, a move that has been commended by the United States.
“The decision of the leadership of APC to take up elected seats in national and local government institutions will ensure a robust and constructive opposition voice in these bodies and help ensure that they take into account the interest of all Sierra Leoneans as they carry out an important work,” US commends APC.
Although the dialogue seems to have brought back sanity to the country’s body politic, the country is yet to come out of the wood.
The election fraud is far from over as the United States and other development partners still demand the publication of credible election results. The US and other members of the international community have always held strong suspicion of fraud in the June-24 elections and calls for reversal.
They have insistently urged the Chief Electoral Commissioner to publish the results by polling stations and districts or face tough measures.
Strongly emotionally attached to the ruling party, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh rebuffed calls to publish the genuine results. The United States started off with funding cut and travel bans on government officials who played a key role in election rigging.
Sierra Leone has lost the much-talked about USD450m under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact owing to lack of free and fair election. The United States also issued visa restrictions on selected government officials so that they could not enter the United States.
Family members and relatives of those on whom the travel ban was imposed were also affected. The United States has also cut off funding for vital projects except health which borders on life.
Former US Ambassador made it clear in a media interview that US’s position remains the same even if another one takes over from him. He said “the incoming ambassador will have his personal lifestyle but won’t go against the position of the United States.”
A tweet seen by this press also states that the US has spotted offshore accounts which it would soon investigate and confiscate if evidence of corruption or money laundering is adduced.
Like the US, EU has also stopped funding most of its projects in Sierra Leone especially budget support. EU’s action has let government officials scratching their heads to pay salaries or wages to its employees.
Sierra Leone’s former colonial power, UK too has withheld funding for Sierra Leone as they insist on the publication of genuine results. These actions have been emulated by other countries and inter-governmental institutions who continue to isolate President Julius Maada Bio.
Commonwealth, African Union, ECOWAS and European Union parliaments have refused to recognise the parliament of Sierra Leone owing to its illegitimacy. A good number of SLPP parliamentarians hold a “stolen mandates” as APC’s votes were converted in their favour.
To date, the June-24 election remains the most contentious as vote stealing was done in daylight.
The army, the police, Political Parties Regulation Commission, the judiciary and most importantly, the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone were co-opted with each playing a specific role in rigging.
PPRC was used to muzzle or press down opposition political parties. Tough fines and other measures are imposed on opposition politicians for a mere breach of the electoral code or laws while members of the ruling party had a field day.
The army and the police are relegated to a terror tool ready to pull the trigger at any time even where situation does not warrant it. They harassed and intimidated voters before, during and after election.
In the midst of guns, armour cars, war tanks, Bio was sworn in by head of the judiciary after he was declared winner by the election commission. Samura Kamara who, reliable sources say, won the election still remains opposition leader with no one knowing when he would be restored.
The people of Sierra Leone and the international community is poised about knowing what has gone wrong with the people’s votes and hope that the investigation will provide the answer.