May 2021
Sierra Leone’s experience with Western
democracy (that is electoral democracy
and political pluralism) dates as far back
as in 1951, with the formation of political
parties and the holding of the first general elections
under the tutelage of the colonial power,
Britain. The British colonial administration
latter established an election office contained
within a government department (that is the
Ministry of Interior/ Internal Affairs) headed by
an Elections Officer who was assisted by a sizeable
number of civil servants to run elections.
This legacy of the incorporation of election
management as an appendage of the arm of
government continued even after independence
in 1961. The Independence Constitution
established the Electoral Commission but the incorporation of the election
management into the country’s civil service continued unto August, 2005
when the Electoral Commission was restructured and established as an
independent election management body as provided for in section 32 of
the Constitution of Sierra Leone,1991. Section 33 of the said constitution
clearly spelt out the functions of the Commission.
General elections have been conducted from 1951 to 1986 though with
questionable democratic credentials. Local Council elections were relegated
since in the 50’s and were only resurrected in 2004 after the enactment of
the Local Government Act,2004. Elections conducted during the period
1973- 1986 were questionable. These elections were conducted by officials
in the civil service and the conduct of these elections did not match any
democratic principles and international best practices. The Ministry of
Interior/ Internal Affairs stage-manage the conduct of the elections and
determines the winners.
The problems of conducting democratic elections were exacerbated
by intermittent military coup de tat in 1967, 1968, 1992 and in 1998.
The Civil war led by Coporal Sabana Foday Sankoh of the Revolutionary
United Front (RUF) from 1991 to 2002 further deteriorated the practice
of democratic elections. However, the conduct of the 1996 Presidential
Elections and the District Block Parliamentary Elections were a stepping
stone in the consolidation of democratic elections in Sierra Leone. The
2002 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections further help to consolidate
our democracy.
In August – September, 2005, the National Electoral Commission was
restructured and detached from the Ministry of Internal Affairs under
the leadership of Dr. Christiana A.M. Thorpe. The Commission had three
departments: – Finance and Administration, Operation and Internal Audit.
However, there were various units within the Commission that assisted
the effective functioning of these departments.
The 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections conducted under
the leadership of Dr. Christiana A.M. Thorpe witnessed the transfer of
power from the SLPP led government under the leadership of Dr. Alhaji
Ahmed Tejan Kabbah to the APC led government under the leadership of
Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.These elections were ajudged by the international
community as credible and transparent. The 2008 Local Council Elections
further strengthened the conduct of democratic elections meeting greater
percentage of international best practices in the conduct of elections.
Based on the challenges and recommendations from Elections Observation
Missions in the conduct of the 2007 elections, the Commission pushed
for the review and consolidate
all elections law which paved
the way for the enactment of
the Public Elections Act,2012.
Elections were also conducted
in 2012 under the leadership
of Dr. Christina A.M.Thorpe
which was also won by the
APC. Under her leadership,
NEC was able to build an ultramodern
Headquarter Office in
Freetown and secured land for
the construction of district and
regional offices nation-wide. Dr.
Christina A.M.Thorpe retired
on 16th August, 2014 and was
replaced by Commissioner
Mohamed Nfah-Alie Conteh a
well-resourced and experienced
elections expert.
CEC Mohamed Nfah-Alie
Conteh continued with the
restructuring programme and
increased the number of departments
from 8-10. He also
conducted the 2018 presidential
and parliamentary elections
which also witnessed the transfer
of power from the APC to the
current SLPP government under
the leadership of HE Dr. Julius
Maada Bio. These elections were
also ajudged as credible and transparent by the international community
and Elections Observation Mission.The tenure of office of CEC Mohamed
Nfah-Alie Conteh ended in 2019. During this interim, Commissioner
Edmond Sylvester Alpha acted as Chairman of the Commission. CEC
Mohamed Kenewui Konneh assumed office in August 2020. Under his
leadership he has rebranded the image of the Commission that was dented
after the 2018 elections. The Commission has also developed a strategic
plan, which will focus on the 2020-2024 electoral process, with focus on
strengthening the staff and institution, strengthening the democratic
process and opening the space for inclusiveness as well as bringing on
board all relevant stakeholders, to conduct elections in a peaceful and
non-violent environment.
He is more than desirous to conduct peaceful, credible and transparent
elections the result of which will be accepted by all. Hence, he has restructured
the Commission and increase the number of departments from 10
to 15 for better and quality delivery of credible elections. The conduct of
peaceful and credible elections is his mantra.
Today, NEC is in a prime position to continue the good work of past
chairpersons in the conduct of free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
Chairman Konneh has now stabilised the administrative and operational
procedures towards NEC’s conduct of upcoming elections as demonstrated
in the conduct of Constituency 110 parliamentary re-run election that was
generally viewed by all as transparent, free, fair and peaceful election.