Ambassador KABS KANU, the Publisher of Cocorioko, has entered the world of international diplomacy and politics once again . He is now an international elections observer with the Washington DC- based WOMEN IN AUDITING AND MONITORING ELECTIONS AROUND THE GLOBE ( WIMAGE ) .
WIMAGE is a non-partisan, independent governance and gender empowerment organization having the support of international stakeholders , operating in the United States,with the primary mission to ensure free, fair, equitable , credible elections , democracy, accountability, transparency and good governance all over the world.
Ambassador Kabs Kanu , the former Minister Plenipotentiary of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, is now the Public Relations Officer of the organization .
Wimage is working in partnership with the following international organizations : International Aid Transparency Initiative ( IATI), the Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); the United Nations ( UN ); the African Union ( AU) and the European Union ( EU).
On his Facebook Page, Kabs Kanu explained to his thousands of fans the details of his new job and the expectations :
SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ABOUT MY NEW JOB : WHAT I AM STILL PERMITTED TO DO AND WHAT I SHOULD NO LONGER DO
During the past few days after I announced that I am now head of the Public Relations team of the international organization, WOMEN IN AUDITING AND MONITORING ELECTIONS AROUND THE GLOBE ( WIMAGE ) of Washington DC, USA, I have received lots of enquires. Many people are lamenting that by the dictates of my new job I will no longer be writing articles on politics and will become dormant . Let me set the records straight.
In my new job as an international diplomat and international elections observer, I will still discuss and write about politics but it will not be as a partisan propagandist representing a political party . It is going to be at a different level. I will still condemn political repression, human rights abuses, corruption and bad politics because they fall under my purview as an international statesman . Let that point be made clear. I will highlight them and condemn them wherever they are perpetrated, whether in Sierra Leone or the U. S, Nigeria or Ghana etc. etc.
HOWEVER, advocacy and canvassing on behalf of one political party over another or campaigning to elevate one political party over the other, which will be partisan politicking , will no longer be my lure. I am no longer permitted to canvass support for a political party or organization in my official capacity . I will embrace a more nationalistic ( Talking for the whole nation, not just a political party ) and world view . I will talk like a diplomat and a civil society activist and civil leader. What I condemn now under the SLPP Government will be condemned too when and if the APC were to be in power again. WIMAGE, the international organization I am working for now , is non-partisan and independent , though its work will cover international politics , international elections and global women’s empowerment. It is not aligned to any political party or political persuasion or ideology whatsoever .
Some people are saying that I must not go to Sierra Leone to observe the 2023 elections because it will be a conflict of interests. This will not be so. As international elections observers , we will be working under strict guidelines provided by international partners and stakeholders —-The UN, AU, EU, the International Aid Transparency Initiative ( IATI ), the Association Southeast Asian nations ( ASEAN ) etc. We will not be working independently of international stakeholders. We will be part of an international team.
Secondly, we will be using international best practices and scorecards —-internationally approved scorecards . We will be using the Global Best Electoral Practices( GBEP) scorecard ; the African Union GEWE and Maputo Protocol scorecard ; etc. Scores will be given on every indices of free, fair , transparent and credible elections practices . These scores will be tallied and presented to international reporting agencies. This presents tremendous latitude for independent practices and conclusions .
Thirdly, my activism against wrong elections practices and bad governance will no longer be concentrated on Sierra Leone alone. As an international diplomat and international elections observer , the whole world is now under my telescope and radar.
I thank you all for your concerns and enquires. It shows that I had not been talking to a brick wall. People had been carefully following me . I want to assure you all that I will do my best to live up to your expectations .
