“As we strive for a peaceful electoral process, we vehemently condemn in its entirety any act or behaviour that would endanger the peaceful conduct of the polls including the unfortunate incident in Kamalo.” WSR-SL stated in a press release.

They further called on the All People’s Congress (APC) party and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) being the oldest parties in Sierra Leone, to set a bright example by being committed to the Political Parties Registration Commission’s (PPRC) Political Parties Code of Conduct which emphasises on peaceful election campaigning.

WSR-SL went on to say: “We encourage other political parties to call on their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and exercise restraint against any act of provocation that will lead to violence.”

The institution called on the Sierra Leone Police to investigate the matter with alacrity and advise the general public to stay calm and peaceful throughout the electoral process.

The Women’s Situation Room (WSR) is a women’s peacebuilding initiative to prevent and mitigate conflicts during elections in Africa. This concept was initiated by the Angie Brooks International Centre (ABIC) Liberia during the Liberian Presidential and Legislative Elections of 2011. It was adopted as a Best Practice by the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) of the AU with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate as Champion of the WSR. (www.sweet-factory.com)