By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Keynote Speaker, Dr. Fonkam Azzu, who is the former Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Cameroon (ELECAM) has described Sierra Leone’s electoral process and governance issues as a model for the Africa continent and the world at large, adding that he is convinced that the coming elections in Sierra Leone will be peaceful, transparent and credible.
He made this statement during a conference on Sierra Leone’s election preparedness which attracted various Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), civil society representatives, journalists and members of the public.
The organizing institution, IDEAS, headed by Ibrahim Tarawally stated that they deemed it necessary to hold such a conference for the 2023 election stakeholders to discuss and commit themselves to conducting and ensuring peaceful June 24, 2023 general elections.
Other speakers including the National Security Coordinator (NSCoord) of the Office of National Security (ONS), Abdulai Caulker, Chairman of Electoral Commission Sierra Leone, Mohamed K. Konneh, Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) Chairman, Abdulai Bangura Esq., ONS Chief of Staff, Francis Langumba Keili among others spoke extensively on the need for Sierra Leoneans to embrace each other because elections is an event after which life goes on.
In his address, the NSCoord Abdulai Caulker stated that as far as the ONS is concerned, they have put in place modalities for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the June 24 elections, adding that they have a toll free line 119 which any one can call to report incidents that warrant prompt intervention by the security forces.
ECSL Chairman, Mohamed K. Konneh mentioned that as far as the ECSL is concerned, they have put everything in place to conduct the June 24 elections. He added that they have rolled out the Voter Registration Data to all political parties, citing that election materials would be arriving soon by airplane. He went on to state that when the election materials arrive, they would seek the assistance of the security forces and invite journalist to cover the event.
A question and answer session climaxed the event.
