Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (EC-SL) yesterday 1st February, 2023 held lengthy discussions with members of the European Union who are in the country to assess the state of electoral preparedness of the Commission.
The discussion came at a time when the Commission is preparing to conduct the country’s Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections on June 24 this year.
Also in a similar event, the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) yesterday briefed the Team from the European Union Observation Mission on the preparedness of the Commission ahead of the elections and other related matters.
It can be recalled that the E.U Team was recently part of the signing of a financial and contribution agreements to support the Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) of Sierra Leone and other stakeholders in the preparation and conduct of peaceful and inclusive elections.
In accordance with these agreements, Ireland and the EU will contribute €1.5 million and €1 million, respectively, to the electoral basket fund managed under UNDP’s election project “Fostering Peaceful, Credible and Inclusive Elections in Sierra Leone 2022-2023.”
Within two years, the Project will provide technical assistance to the EMBs to conduct credible and inclusive elections in Sierra Leone in line with national legislation, international electoral standards, and good practice.
The project will focus its support on programmes aimed at raising public awareness about elections and strengthening the capacity of national institutions responsible for adjudicating electoral complaints, providing electoral security and respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
It will also support the organisation of training and mentoring programmes that will enhance aspiring women candidates’ capacity for their successful engagement in the electoral process.
The Sierra Leone Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed a challenge against President Bio’s directive to the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (EC-SL) to hold the 2023 national elections on Proportional Representation (PR) system.
The matter was brought by Lawyer Joseph Fitzerald Kamara who was Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone (2016-2018) and Anti-Corruption Commissioner (2010-2016) under the opposition All Peoples Congress Party (APC) and Partners on behalf of the first Plaintiff, Hon. Abdul Kargbo from the APC and the second Plaintiff, Councilor HakiratuMaxwell-Caulker from the APC against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice as first Defendant and the EC-SL as the second Defendant on the holding of election on the PR System.
In their declarations, the Supreme Court Justices; Hon. Justice D.B. Edwards (presiding), Hon. Justice N.C Brown-Marke, Justice M. Deen Tarawally, Hon. Justice Alusine Sesay and Hon. Justice A.I Sesay dismissed claims brought by the Plaintiffs. “An order restraining the 2nd Defendant, Electoral Commission, its agents, servants, privies or however called from taking steps aimed at conducting the June 2023 multitier public elections on the District Block Proportional Representation system is refused,” according to the judgment
