EISA ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION TO THE 2018 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN SIERRA LEONE
ARRIVAL STATEMENT Issued in Freetown on 1 March 2018
The 2018 general elections in Sierra Leone present another opportunity for its citizens to choose their representatives. These elections, though the fourth since the end of the civil war, are the first to be conducted under the full responsibility of the Government of Sierra Leone.
The elections will be a test for the country’s democratic development and the stability so far achieved. A peaceful transition through these elections will thus serve to further cement the democratic gains made since the end of the civil war in 2002. The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) is pleased to be part of this critical electoral process in Sierra Leone. EISA announces the arrival of its election observation mission (EOM) in Sierra Leone to observe the general elections scheduled to be held on 7 March 2018.
The EISA EOM is led by His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of the Republic of Nigeria, and Mr. Denis Kadima, EISA’s Executive Director, as the Deputy Mission Leader. The EISA EOM is comprised of 12 short term observers drawn from Civil Society Organisations and Election Management Bodies from 11 African countries.
The EISA EOM is in Sierra Leone to conduct an independent assessment of the integrity of the electoral process. The EISA EOM assessment methodology is guided by its commitments within the framework of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. The EISA EOM will assess the extent to which the electoral process complies with the principles and obligations for democratic elections stipulated in the following international benchmarks: the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections; the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; and the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation (PEMMO).
As part of its methodology, EISA deployed a pre-election needs assessment mission to Sierra Leone from 19 to 24 November 2017 which informed the decision to deploy its short term observers. EISA observers will deployed in six teams to five selected provinces of the country to observe pre-polling, Election Day and post-polling activities.
On 9 March 2018, the EISA EOM will issue a preliminary statement on its findings and recommendations on the electoral process. The short term observers will remain in Sierra Leone until 11 March 2018, and in the event of a second round, EISA will deploy a technical assessment team.
The 2018 general elections in Sierra Leone present another opportunity for its citizens to choose their representatives. These elections, though the fourth since the end of the civil war, are the first Page 2 of 2 to be conducted under the full responsibility of the Government of Sierra Leone. The elections will be a test for the country’s democratic development and the stability so far achieved. A peaceful transition through these elections will thus serve to further cement the democratic gains made since the end of the civil war in 2002. EISA is pleased to be part of this critical electoral process in Sierra Leone. The EISA EOM Secretariat is located at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Freetown. For further information, please contact: Ms. Randrara Rakotomala +232 79 330913 or randrara@eisa.org.za ———————————————————————————————————————
About EISA EISA has since its inception in July 1996 established itself as a leading institution and influential player dealing with elections and democracy related issues in the African continent. It envisions an African continent where democratic governance, human rights and citizen participation are upheld in a peaceful environment. The Institute’s vision is executed by striving for excellence in the promotion of credible elections, citizen participation, and the strengthening of political institutions for sustainable democracy in Africa. With its headquarters in Johannesburg (South Africa), EISA has had field offices across the African continent and currently has offices in Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia and Zimbabwe, and a regional liaison office at the secretariat of the ECCAS in Libreville, Gabon. EISA has deployed EOMs for the past ten years to over 100 electoral processes across the African continent. Rep
