All opposition political parties in Sierra Leone at a press conference on Monday 7th December 2020 revealed that they have written a strongly-worded letter to His Excellency the President, Julius Maada Bio, vehemently condemning the introduction of non-partisan local council elections in Sierra Leone.
They further stated that they are firmly of the opinion that the concept should be abandoned with immediate effect.
The meeting took place at the APC headquarters, Old Railway Line in Freetown.
Please see press release below for details.
PRESS RELEASE RE PROPOSED NON-PARTISAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
ISSSUED BY OPPOSITION PARTIES IN SIERRA LEONE
MONDAY 7TH DECEMBER 2020
We are aware that the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, during the Government’s Weekly Press Briefing on Thursday 26th November 2020 and other media engagements, informed the general public that Cabinet has approved a new National Decentralization Policy. We the undersigned political parties are vehemently opposed to the introduction of non-partisan local council elections in Sierra Leone and are of the opinion that the concept should be abandoned with immediate effect.
We take this opportunity to hereby inform the general public and the international community that:
- None of our political parties were informed nor consulted in respect of the development of this National Decentralizaton Policy prior to the public announcement made by the said Minister.
- Furthermore, none of the undersigned political parties are in receipt of a draft or the final copy of the new National Decentralization Policy that the Minister of Local Government says has been approved by Cabinet. We consider it to be wholly unacceptable that our knowledge of the content of this critical policy is limited to key clauses outlined in the press statements made by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and members of his review team and in related statements circulated on social media.
- A key clause of the new National Decentralization Policy that has been trumpeted in the media by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development states that: “a person seeking to be a member of a local council as an elected councillor shall present himself to the electorate as an independent candidate; councils are going to be non-partisan”;
- Having engaged elected representatives within the local councils about the consultation process conducted by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Developments, the feedback from the local councils is that there was overwhelming rejection of the concept of non-partisan elections by the local council stakeholders who were consulted by the Ministry of Local Government and their review team.
We the undersigned political parties are of the view that the introduction of this clause into the National Decentralization Policy is a direct assault on Sierra Leone’s multi-party democracy and a calculated move by the current SLPP government to illegitimately consolidate power in all local councils and to eliminate political opposition.
The existing Local Government Act 2004 clearly states in Part III, paragraph 4 (4) “A person seeking to be a member of a local council as an elected Councillor may present himself to the electorate as a candidate of a political party or as an independent candidate”. There is therefore already provision in the Local Government Act 2004 for candidates to run for office in the local councils as independents. The Government’s attempt to introduce legislation that makes being an independent candidate for local council elections mandatory is unacceptable for the following non-exhaustive list of reasons:
- The Sierra Leone 1991 Constitution is founded on the principles of multi-party democracy and the right of association. Section 15(b) and Section 26 of the 1991 Constitution guarantee all Sierra Leoneans the right and freedom to assemble and to associate. The introduction of mandatory non-partisan local elections is contrary to both the constitutional principles and the constitutional rights of the citizens of Sierra Leone. The constitution cannot be overridden by subsequent legislation. The constitution is supreme.
- It is clear that non-partisan local council elections will in practice be subject to major interference from the ruling government. Recent examples of the overt interference of government in non-partisan non-political elections include: (i) the crowning ceremony at Victoria Park in 2018 of SLPP appointed market chairmen and chairwomen attended by the SLPP Western Area Regional Chairman ; (ii) the interference of the Deputy Minister of Youth who in an emergency meeting at the Sweissy Grounds in November 2018 personally pronounced that the then executive of Sweissy Jewellers Organisation was immediately dissolved and then proceeded to direct and influence new elections; (iii) the extensive involvement and interference by the Deputy Minister of Local Government and other government officials in the election of the Chairlady of the Gbense Market Women’s Association in Kono District in 2018.
- Additionally, in the absence of political party participation, the process of shortlisting potential candidates will be transferred from the political parties to the ruling government which will enable them to ensure that only candidates that are favoured by the government are allowed to contest. An election ballot paper cannot accommodate 100 candidates so if 100 candidates decide that they want to run for Mayor of Freetown, there will need to be a process of shortlisting those candidates. In the current multi-party democratic system, the political parties play a major role in shortlisting candidates within their party through the award of symbols. In the proposed non-partisan system, that process will move to the ruling government (potentially through the establishment of a commission appointed by the President and influenced by the ruling government).
- With the level of interference demonstrated in the elections of ostensibly non-political organisations highlighted in paragraph 2 above, it is clear that the process of shortlisting candidates will be used by the ruling government to handpick and give advantage to pro-ruling party supporters.
- The introduction of non-partisan elections will go against the provisions of Section 35(1) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which categorically states the role of political parties with regards to supporting the less wealthy (including women, youth and the disabled) during Local Government elections. Poorer citizens will therefore be excluded from participating in what should be the most inclusive election within our multi-party democracy should they be unable to pay nomination fees and campaign costs.
We the undersigned political parties totally and unequivocally reject the introduction of non-partisan local council elections and hold the view that Government of Sierra Leone should abandon the concept and focus on addressing more pressing issues, such as quality education, economic growth and job creation, that are affecting the daily lives of the citizens of Sierra Leone.
SEE: Letter to the President
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
State House
Tower Hill
Freetown
7th November 2020
Your Excellency,
Rejection by Opposition Political Parties of Proposed Non-Partisan Local Council Elections
We the undersigned political parties would like to bring to your notice our position in regards to the announcement by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, during the Government’s Weekly Press Briefing on Thursday 26th November 2020 and subsequently on other radio and television [media] platforms, that Cabinet has approved a new National Decentralization Policy.
Your Excellency, it will interest you to know that our political parties were neither informed nor consulted in respect of the development of this National Decentralizaton Policy. Given the critical importance of such a policy to the development of our nation and the strengthening of our multi-party democracy, we are extremely disappointed that it was not considered important for political parties to be consulted in such a process. To date, none of the undersigned political parties are in receipt of a draft or the final copy of the new National Decentralization Policy that the Minister of Local Government says has been approved by Cabinet. We consider it to be wholly unacceptable that our knowledge of the content of this critical policy is limited to information disseminated in press statements from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and on Whatsapp.
A key feature of the new National Decentralization Policy is that “a person seeking to be a member of a local council as an elected councillor shall present himself to the electorate as an independent candidate; councils are going to be non-partisan”. This concept was overwhelmingly rejected by the local council stakeholders who were consulted by the Ministry of Local Government and their review team. This is not surprising because the proposed policy is clearly a direct assault on Sierra Leone’s multi-party democracy and appears to be a calculated move by the government to illegitimately consolidate power in all local councils and eliminate political opposition.
The existing Local Government Act 2004 provides for political party and independent candidates in local council elections. The Government’s attempt to introduce legislation that makes being an independent candidate for local council elections mandatory is unacceptable for the several reasons:
- The Sierra Leone 1991 Constitution is founded on the principles of multi-party democracy and the right of association. Section 15(b) and Section26 of the 1991 Constitution guarantee all the right and freedom to assemble and to associate. The introduction of mandatory non-partisan local elections is contrary to both the constitutional principles and the constitutional rights of the citizens of Sierra Leone. The constitution cannot be overridden by subsequent legislation. The constitution is supreme;
- It is now common practice for all types of elections in Sierra Leone to be subjected to political party interference; this is true of elections of market women’s associations, student unions, ataya base unions, okada and keke unions.
- In the absence of political party participation, the process of shortlisting potential candidates will be transferred from the political parties to the ruling government which will enable the ruling government to ensure that only candidates that are favoured by the government are allowed to contest and can win.
- The introduction of non-partisan elections will adversely impact the less wealthy (including women who are often financially less secure) who are unable to finance election campaigns and cover the cost of nomination fees. Poorer citizens will therefore be excluded from participating in what should be the most inclusive election within our multi-party democracy. The ability of political parties to support less wealthy candidates with campaign and nomination costs allows all citizens, including women, to participate in the electoral process.
In light of the foregoing, we the undersigned political parties totally and unequivocally reject the introduction of non-partisan local council elections and advise that this policy be terminated because it is not in the interest of the citizens of this country.
Credit: The Owl Newspaper
