By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Political Parties Registrations Commission (PPRC) has on the 2nd February 2023 engaged journalists on the commission’s recently enacted “Political parties act and name changing from Political Parties Registration Commission to Political Parties Regulation Commission.”
He made this revelation at the PPRC conference room OAU drive Tower Hill Freetown.
Chairman of the Commission, Abdulai Masiyambay Bangurah ESQ said the new act will give the commission more powers to perform its function.
He added that the new act makes provisions for the commission to take action against defaulting Political parties, as compared to the previous act which limits them to only making recommendations.
“In the amendments of the act also, the name of PPRC has been changed from Political party’s registration commission to Political parties Regulation Commission” he said.
The Political Parties act number 3 of 2002 according to the Chairman has been repealed and replaced by the political parties act 25 of 2022, and constitutional instrument number 22 of 2022, adding that the constitutional instrument intention was to amend the portion of the constitution that makes the commission more effectual, and to curb financial excesses by the leadership of political parties among others.
Mr. Bangurah went on to say the repealed and replacement of the act is as a results of recommendations made by other observers missions during the 2018 elections on things that have been negatively impacting on the performance of the commission most especially its legal framework.
“It’s because of those recommendations we embarked on review, repeal and replacement of the 2002 act. As part of the repealed we called on registered political parties on validations conference where we presented 42 propose amendment of the act for their appraisal and approval in which they rejected 7 and accepted 37 which we forwarded to the law officers department before it was legislated” he said.
He disclosed the name change from Political parties Registration Commission to Regulation commission is based on their regulatory mandate that will reflect on them, noting that the commission is now a five member commission prior to its initial four members in the 2002 Act.
