By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The United Nations in Sierra Leone has called for prompt investigations into the political violence that occurred in the northern part of the country on Tuesday 7th June 2922, where several people were reportedly injured and properties destroyed in campaigns for a by-election.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi, has called on the authorities to ensure that all those found wanting are to be brought to justice. In a statement Dr. Ahonsi’s office issued out on Friday, June 10th, it also called for dialogue to ensure a peaceful political process.
These clashes occurred in Bendugu Town, Sambaia Chiefdom in Tonkolili District, ahead of the by-elections for the Parliamentary seat in Constituency 056.
The election was necessitated after a vacancy in the House of parliament created by the election of Alhaji Musa, Bamba Foray, Kulio Jalloh, as Paramount Chief of Sambaia Chiefdom. Jalloh occupied the seat under the SLPP ticket. He was elected into his new office on June 3rd last year.
The by-election which is scheduled for Saturday, 24th June is being contested by the two largest parties in the House, the governing Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), whose candidate is Tholley Foyoh, and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), whose candidate is Jawah Sesay. The contest is crucial as it will determine who has the highest number of seats in Parliament.
Both the SLPP and APC Party currently occupies 58 seats each in the House, which also comprises eight and four seats each for the smaller opposition parties C4C and NGC, respectively, and three Independent seats.
The actual cause of the violence that erupted on Tuesday 7th June 2022 is unclear. Both parties accused each other of causing the violence which occurred during a rally by the APC.
The UN country offices consider dialogue to be important and therefore offered to provide support towards that. In the statement, there was also a call on the authorities to ensure prompt investigation and to make sure that those who are found wanting is brought to justice.
The United Nations deeply condemns all forms of violence and calls on all parts of society including political leaders and party supporters, traditional and religious leaders, national and local institutions, and the citizens in general to commit to a spirit of tolerance and to work together to maintain peace in Sierra Leone.
An extract from the statement. “On Sunday electoral authorities imposed a temporary ban on all political campaigns in the constituency election. A joint statement from the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) said effective Monday, June 13th 2022; all political party rallies are banned until further notice.
Both Commissions deem this unfortunate event with distaste and in contravention of instructive provisions of the constitution, the political parties Act, the public elections Act and the code of conduct for political parties, candidates and supporters,” the statement reads.
The electoral authorities added that, the campaign calendar that was earlier issued out by the ECSL remains valid, noting that, parties can however only be allowed to campaign on certain conditions, including adhering to their respective dates and in their designated locations, and to also inform the police at least 24 hours prior to a rally.
