By Nasratu Kargbo
The West Africa Democracy Solidarity (WADEMOS) has recommended that the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone (ECSL) ensures it publishes the voter register as soon as possible.
In a press release dated 18th May 2023, the institution stated that the ECSL should publish the voter register on the website and also distribute it to the political parties, stressing that they should ensure they correct all mistakes made in the register.
“We recognize the assurance of the ESCL to publish the Final Voter Register on the website of the ECSL and to distribute it to political parties, soft copies which include the removal of 250,000 duplicate voter registrants and 605 voters with falsified information. We call for a prompt implementation and commitment to this process” a part reads.
Highlighting some of the concerns and challenges they’ve observed in the preparation of the elections, WADEMOS in the release explained that even though the ECSL had concluded with the issuance of voter’s identification cards, the institution added that they’ve observed that there is a general frustration due to the unavailability of the final voter register, even when it is five weeks to election as at the time of their visitation. “Compilation of the voter register remains one of the key outstanding issues in the preparation for the election.”
The Network also mentioned that during their pre-assessment mission concerns were made in relation to the unavailability of a disaggregated voter register for polling stations, poor quality of voter ID cards, and the absence of clear and elaborate e-day protocols for managing voter verification of affected persons.
“The mission again notes with concern the low level of sensitization and education on key electoral processes and activities such as the deployment of the PR, Results Management process, and general voter education” a part reads.
The organization recommends that due to the complex rules of the PR system, the ECSL and all election-related stakeholders should expand voter education and training of the citizenry on the system.
The Mission in the release stated that the timing of the election is a major concern as a result of the rain, explaining that there might be a strain in the deployment of election materials and personnel, access to polling units, particularly for persons with disability (PWDs) and elderly people as well as voter participation amongst others.
WADEMOS stated that from the 15th to the 18th of May 2023 they embarked on the pre-election solidarity mission in Sierra Leone ahead of the upcoming presidential, mayoral, parliamentary, and local council election in a bid to ensure democracy and good governance.
The institution held engagements with ECSL, Political parties, the Political Parties Regulation Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the Office of National Security (ONS), and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) amongst other stakeholders.
The release explained that the purpose of the WADEMOS Network is to mobilize, coordinate, and leverage the collective power of civil society and other pro-democracy actors, resources, and opportunities within the West African Region to advance, defend, and reinvigorate democracy and promote democratic norms and reforms in the sub-region. It is said to be a non-partisan, independent civil society-led transnational democracy solidarity network that consists of over thirty-five (35) civil society organizations that are located in 15 countries in West Africa.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (24/05/23)
