By: Haja Hawa Koroma
At the Presentation by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone, for the 2021 annual report, delivered at State House on the 21st July 2022, President Bio has called on ECSL and all to conduct a free and fair Election come 2023.
H. E the President started his speech by thanking the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone for its commendable efforts in conducting violence-free and fair elections at all levels wherever vacancies have occurred.
The President stated that his Government has always believed that a better governance ecosystem is good for democracy. That’s why freedom of the press is guaranteed. H.E mentioned that it is because of this belief that resulted in one of his first acts as president removing the seditious libel laws and offered unfettered free speech.
So far, no journalist is in prison for their practice of journalism. No media house has been attacked or closed down for what they publish or broadcast and the Independent Media Commission has a clearer mandate.
There has been greater cooperation between the law enforcement sector and the Press, but his concerns are for Journalists to practice their journalism responsibly on all platforms and a zero tolerance for intimidation and threats by the security forces and the public of media practitioners.
Moreover, Journalists are now working with development partners, international organizations, and national stakeholders to further enhance their freedom of expression.
This has resulted in Sierra Leone moving up 29 places higher, from the 75th position to 46th out of 180 countries in the global media freedom rankings.
In addition, his government has not been interfering with the work of civil society organizations and civil rights activists who have continued to operate freely within the ambits of the law. And they have observed elections freely, generated and discussed post- elections reports freely on all media platforms.
Furthermore, the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone has been operating freely and independently, and there is also greater access to justice as citizens can now get redress from the courts on petitions and elections-related matters as the courts deems fit.
Additionally, the President said, a National Commission for Peace and National Cohesion is now up and running. There is a greater engagement of traditional and religious leaders, tamping down tensions within and between communities and Sierra Leone is now the fourth most peaceful country in Africa.
President Bio boasts of an unprecedented Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment bill in Parliament that guarantees greater participation, representation, and empowerment for women. And the President encourages parliamentarians and stakeholders involved to support the passing of the bill in Parliament as his government endorses gender equality.
According to his Excellency, every citizen has an equal and inalienable right to fully participate in political life, and political debates, to be consulted, to vote, and to be voted for. Gender, sexuality, disability, age, youth, and levels of literacy must not be hindrances.
Every citizen must be fully accounted for in inclusive democratic elections at all levels. He believes that the views and voices of every citizen on how to move this nation forward matters.
The President maintains that his Government remains fully committed to supporting peaceful, free, fair and credible electoral processes.
He also commends the Electoral Commission for the preparations made so far regarding the upcoming voter registration exercise starting from September to October this year. He, therefore, encourages the Electoral Commission to intensify its public sensitization efforts on the processes and procedures of voter registration.
The President acknowledged and received the report with great optimism that the nation is becoming better at getting democratic elections right.
