Sierra Leone

Elections are about choice and as such they must be accompanied by a deep sense of duty and responsibility to society. One such responsibility involves respecting the right of others to promote their political ideals.

Both the National Electoral Commission and the Political Parties Registration Commission have traversed a long path in their efforts to lay down the basis for free and credible elections. The SLP remains committed to prevent violence and, indeed, are addressing the incidents that have occurred so far.

Mr. Chairman,
Directly related to the credibility of the upcoming elections is the issue of fraud. Even though the NEC has put in place various mechanisms aimed at combating any fraudulent attempts by overzealous partisans, those with special responsibilities in the prevention of fraud, particularly the party agents should watch the process with “the eye of an eagle”. That is why I continue to urge the political parties to deploy adequate number of party agents.

Mr. Chairman,
The next step which warrants our attention will be the acceptance of the results. The credibility of an electoral process is established only when the electorate and the candidates recognize it. In the end, what counts most is that certifying parties endorse the outcome. That is why the NEC has encouraged the political parties to have party agents in all the polling stations. The monitoring of the elections, including the polling day, by party agents and national and international observers, is crucial to ensure the fairness of the process. By involving the party agents on the electoral observation, the political parties afford themselves the opportunity to raise their concerns through appropriate channels. Once such mechanisms are allowed to function, it would not be difficult to the political parties to accept the results in the best tradition of democratic societies.

Lastly, I should emphasize that Sierra Leone’s ultimate interest supersedes the interest of political parties. The competition is all about choosing leaders who will run the country. If these critical elections are not held in a violence free atmosphere, it will remain merely a dream that has yet to be realized. I would like to believe that it is the wish of the people of Sierra Leone to choose their future leaders without fear or intimidation. We all should have respect for that will and yearning of the people.

Thank you very much for listening.