The Leadership of registered Political Parties in Sierra Leone has agreed that the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) commences the drafting of Regulations that will provide for Sierra Leoneans performing this year’s pilgrimage in Mecca and subsequent pilgrimages of all Faiths that coincide with general elections, to vote by proxy.
The meeting was called at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Social Welfare, who informed Political Parties that, the Hajj this year has coincided with the holding of our general elections, on the 24th of June 2023. That Authorities in Mecca have allocated to the Country, a quota of 1,200 Pilgrims, and that quota is likely to be taken by prospective pilgrims.
Therefore, if nothing is done, 1,200 of our Compatriots will be disenfranchised. She raised this concern to the ECSL and Parliament. Both institutions referred her to the PPRC, for consultation with Political Parties, and if it is their consensus, necessary steps will be adopted to redress the situation, without offending the ECOWAS Protocol.
The Director of Operations ECSL, in his contribution, explained to the Political Parties that, there is no provision in the extant Regulations for early voting. That if it is the consensus of Political Parties, the only option open for potential redress is proxy voting and even that, Regulations to that effect will have to be tabled to Parliament for promulgation.
The Political Parties expressed concerns over the promulgation of the Regulations for just this one instance. They, therefore, recommended that, ECSL draft Regulations that will tend to all pilgrimages of all faiths that may coincide with the holding of a general election, for the attention of Parliament.
On another issue, the Electoral calendar issued by ECSL was also discussed in the meeting and Political Parties were encouraged to regularise their status, particularly the Constitution of their Organs and their pre-election declarations.
In another development, the Chairman of the Commission briefed a Team from the European Union Observation Mission on the preparedness of the Commission ahead of the elections and other related matters.
