Sierra Leone’s Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has said that only three out of seventeen political parties are currently qualified to contest in the Presidential elections on June 24, 2023.

Chairman of the PPRC, Abdulai Masiyambay Bangurah said the Political Parties Act dictates that political parties must be fully registered and operational to be included by Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone onto the ballots.

He said compliance to this dictate requires the payment of thirty-six million leones as registration fee and an inclusive list of all founding members, demonstrating diversity based on religion, region and tribe. This first step is for registration as a political party.

Mr. Bangurah said there should also be in existence regional offices in all five regions and those offices should be functional.

He emphasised that political parties should have been categorised as functioning before nomination date slated in April and submission to electoral commission of Sierra Leone as those parties to be dealt with based on compliance and adherence to regulations.

At present, he stated, only the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), the All-People’s Congress (APC) and the National Grand Coalition (NGC) are fully registered and functioning and that might see them as the only parties on the ballots during elections.