By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
In order to uphold the foundational principles of National Unity, The National Commission for Democracy (NCD) has urged all Political Parties in Sierra Leone to embrace Tolerance, and Social Cohesion before, during, and after the June 24, 2023, national elections.
The Commission in a press release avowed the goal of creating a new political culture and attitude that will lead to good governance in the country.
It started by commending the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) upon the outcome of their National Delegate Conference held in Makeni, especially with the setting up of the party’s National Executive. NCD is not just calling for calm within the party in its daily operations, but also asking them to contribute significantly to the peace and stability of the country.
NCD further commended the main opposition for following the democratic processes and eventual outcomes of the conference, and also praised them for the method of open ballot utilized to elect its officials, including the flag bearer, carried live by the National Broadcaster, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and other sister stations. It noted that the method of live coverage of the conference created an atmosphere of transparency that is appreciated in the context of democratic good governance.
The Commission further extended the same request to the ruling party, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), and every other political party in the Country, as it races towards the next set of national elections or polls.
The Commission reminded the Political Parties that, in any contest including a political contest, there must be winners and losers. It, therefore, made a ‘nationalistic or patriotic’ appeal to all political contestants that all must strive to be good losers and winners and avoid throwing the country into any form of chaos with the proclivity of undermining meaningful national development.
NCD noted that keeping the peace, maintaining law and order, and upholding the human rights of every citizen in Sierra Leone should be the primary responsibility of every well-meaning Sierra Leonean in addition to state institutions and they should be seen as non-negotiable as they serve in the best interest of the country.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (06/03/23)
