Re-Run Of Elections May Be On The Table

BY Alhaji Turay

On Tuesday 6th January 2024, during the weekly press conference organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic at Brookfields Hotel, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima, the government representative, highlighted the importance of national unity and addressed key resolutions outlined in the agreement for national unity.

He emphasized that the agreement for national unity has 8 resolutions, but in the elections Review and management committee, they are only concerned with resolution 3 to review contentious issues in the 2023 elections and previous elections. Dr. Gaima underscored the significance of Resolution 3, which focuses on reviewing contentious issues that arose during the 2023 election and previous electoral processes.

Emphasizing the role of the Elections Review and Management Committee, Dr. Gaima clarified that their primary focus is on Resolution 3, which mandates the review of contentious elections matters.

He emphasized that the committee’s current objective is to conduct a thorough review of these issues and not to advocate or initiate a rerun of the elections.

Dr. Gaima’s statement comes amidst ongoing efforts by the Sierra Leone government to address concerns and grievances related to post electoral process, particularly the 2023 elections.

The country has experienced political tensions and disputes in the aftermath of the elections, prompting calls for transparent review and reforms to uphold democratic principles and ensure fair and credible future elections.

While acknowledge the significance of addressing electoral concerns, Dr. Gaima reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding democratic values and fostering national unity. He stressed the importance of constructive dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders in the electoral review process, to identify and rectify any irregularities of issues that may have undermined the integrity of post elections, The clarification provided by Dr. Gaima regarding the scope of the Elections Review and Management Committee’s mandate seeks to alleviate any misconceptions or misinterpretations regarding the Committee’s role in addressing electoral disputes, He stated, “for now we are only doing a review, we don’t have the mandate to request for a rerun of elections, and by focusing on Resolution 3, the committee aims to facilitate a comprehensive examination of contentious issues, paving the way for informed recommendations and potential reforms to enhance the electoral process.

Kelfala Marrah, who is the Co- Chair for the All People’s Congress on the Tripartite Committee, told civil society to work together for the betterment of the country. Mr. Marrah had this to say,  “don’t preempt the outcome of the Tripartite Committee and allow us to judiciously do our work and recommend after the process, for what you expect” Kelfala Marrah also told bloggers to stop and stay away from passing information in the social media until the outcome of the Tripartite investigations.