By Lawrence Williams
The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has concluded its investigation into petitions filed by members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) regarding the conduct and outcome of its lower-level elections in various parts of the country.
The PPRC’s investigation uncovered a number of electoral violations in Bo, Kenema, Kono, Karene, Kambia, Tonkolili, Bonthe, Western Urban, Western Rural, and other districts. In most cases, the commission ordered a re-run of numerous zonal, sectional, chiefdom, and constituency elections in those areas.
The commission found out that there was exclusion and disenfranchisement of party members, which prevented eligible party members from participating in these elections.
They also noted the creation of parallel executive lists and conduct of parallel elections were predominant in some areas. In addition to the unfair distribution of party cards, which prevented eligible members from voting and gave an unfair advantage to certain candidates or factions within the party, there were instances where the election venue was changed without prior notification. Violence, too, was documented in some areas.
In some cases, the PPRC was unable to determine whether elections had even taken place. This was particularly true in certain areas of Kono district and Western Urban constituencies, where the defendants failed to provide any evidence that elections had been conducted.
The PPRC noted that parallel elections and conflicting voters’ lists were particularly common in Kono district, while violence was a major issue in Tonkolili district.
The commission concluded that these irregularities undermined the outcome and validity of the elections in these areas, necessitating a re-run to ensure a fair and democratic process.