There are fundamental differences between the court cases in Liberia and Kenya on the one hand and the one in Sierra Leone.
In both Kenya and Liberia, the cases were brought by candidates or political parties that had lost elections. In Kenya, by Raila Odinga the defeated candidate of the National Super Alliance Coalition. In Liberia by the Liberty party. In Sierra Leone, the action was not brought by any of the candidates or political parties directly affected by the outcome of the results. The action was brought by a voter, IS Koroma.
Secondly, in Liberia and Kenya both applicants challenged the outcome of the elections. They wanted the results overturned and sought fresh elections. In Sierra Leone, although the applicant alleged fraud the applicant did not ask for the results of the first round elections to be overturned. The applicant asked for an injunction to prevent the second round and asked for the audit of the systems of the electoral commission. Merely relying on statements issued by some political parties alleging fraud and producing little or no evidence of fraud, he does not seek to cancel the first elections but claims to want to prevent future fraud.
Thirdly, In Kenya the action was not to prevent the elections. It was brought after the elections. In Liberia, the action was prevent the second round from going on and to re run the first round. At the center of the argument was the elections that had been conducted – the first round. In Sierra Leone, there is no relief for a rerun of first round. The action brought is for the second round of the elections to be stopped pending the hearing and determination of a case that seeks reliefs such a manual recount of all elections results including parliamentary and local councils and that the electoral commission produces all reconciliation and result forms.
EDWARD WRIGHT
Run off court injunction my take:
Sierra Leoneans, don’t let anyone say to you that “hell will loose” because of the court injunction on the run off election. Our neighbors Liberia had a court injunction which shifted their run off from December 26th to January 7th 2018. I don’t think delaying the polls for a week or two in the name of cleaning the electoral system will bring the world to an end. Respect the court and let’s hear #NEC‘s side of the story. Sometimes, I refuse to follow the crowd because, I’m old enough to be critical of certain actions. Peace.
