This was revealed during a one day stakeholders’ engagement ahead of the parliamentary bye-election at constituency 110 at Goderich in Freetown slated for Saturday 24th August, 2019.
Election process in contemporary Sierra Leone has become a recipe that threatens the peace and security of ordinary citizens. PPRC emphasized during this meeting that the content of the MoU is not in any way to restrict the liberty of any political party but to create a level platform where all political parties will have the right representation that a process that will result to a peaceful, transparent and violence-free bye-election.
Western Area Commissioner for the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Miatta French said people must positively change the atmosphere of election activities in the country, as according to her, election is not a do-or-die affair. Miatta French further said that the Commission has trained its staff and party agents to prevent a repetition of some of the mistakes that occurred during the Thonko-Limba bye election. She pleaded with the police to allow them to do their work without any political interference.
The four contending parties especially the ruling SLPP and the main opposition APC parties pledged commitment to ensuring their supporters put on the best conduct for a violent-free election. Chairman and Leader for NGC, Dr. Dennis Bright said that the anger-hate in politics must stop especially between APC and SLPP whom he referred to as “Alhassan and Alusine respectively.”
The PPRC in a statement concluded that if the four political parties contending for the upcoming parliamentary bye-election especially APC and SLPP parties and their supporters abide by all what is written in the MoU, to prevent eminent confrontation on Election Day, the process would go down as one of the most peaceful election process.
