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Why the EU Undresses Bio’s Unprecedented Plans to Rig 2022 & 2023 Elections in Sierra Leone
By Abu Shaw in London (01/11/2021)
The European Union has undressed the failed ruling SLPP government of President Julius Maada Bio as the 2022 and 2023 elections gain momentum.
The international community has finally come to the stark realisation of the SLPP government of President Julius Maada Bio’s ongoing undemocratic agenda. This is good news for democracy in Sierra Leone after critical Sierra Leoneans in and outside the country have been publishing and broadcasting the devious electioneering plans that President Bio’s agents had hatched in order to rig elections in the country. The Organiser newspaper and many other social media activists and broadcasters in Sierra Leone and abroad like Adebayor in Holland, Ibrahim Forna in the US, Cash Box and Comrade Koita in the UK, and the Peoples’ Power in Sierra Leone have been very persistent in highlighting the dubious plans by President Bio to retain power in 2023 by any means necessary. (Photo: Norbert Neuser. EU thinks it’s time to expose the SLPP government).
Since April 4, 2018, when the failed SLPP government won the elections, President Bio had started putting these nefarious plots in place to win the second term at all costs in the crucial 2023 general and presidential elections. No wonder, the irate SLPP supporters and members around the world have always been overconfident about winning the 2023 elections landslide. “We will win in the first round and after President Bio, another SLPP leader will win and win,” are remarks often made by bluffing SLPP party members. They continue to say these remarks because they knew what President Bio and his corrupt SLPP agents had up their sleeves i.e. to undermine democracy and steal the electorates’ votes! Nevertheless, the vigilant critical eyes in the social media knew more than what the SLPP thieves had fathomed. Consistently, these evil plans had been heralded in publications and audios, and videos around the world to expose the dangerous trend created by the ruling government.
Little by little, the social media campaigns to expose President Bio’s devilish plots have alerted both internal and external stakeholders to properly pay attention to the happenings in Sierra Leone in order to prevent another bloody civil war. Sierra Leoneans will go to the polls next year for the local elections and in 2023 to also cast their precious votes in the general and presidential elections. From the outset of President Bio’s occupation of State House, the SLPP government had devised these dubious plans to rig the forthcoming elections. The plans hatched include the re-figuration of the Sierra Leone Statistics, the tribalisation of the ridiculous Mid-Term Census through the National Civil Registration Authority NCRA, the nepotistic and tribalistic appointments of individuals from the one-tribe Mende hegemony to occupy the National Electoral Commissions nationwide, and other electioneering institutions like the Political Parties Registration Commission PPRC and so on and so forth. President Bio is aware of his shortcomings and knows that his SLPP regime has failed the nation. And there is no way the people would vote for him based on his non-achievements. So rigging is the only alternative left for the failed leader to remain at State House.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-7357360780567964&output=html&h=345&adk=2282423035&adf=2098076385&pi=t.aa~a.2105401457~i.18~rp.4&w=414&lmt=1635763984&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=6457675062&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=414×345&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheorganiser.net%2Fsierra-leone%2F3704-why-the-eu-undresses-bio-s-unprecedented-plans-to-rig-2022-2023-elections-in-sierra-leone&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=321&rw=385&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1635763986101&bpp=3&bdt=1221&idt=-M&shv=r20211027&mjsv=m202110260101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Dbf85c337c0891f1c-2286087c38cc0075%3AT%3D1635754214%3ART%3D1635754214%3AS%3DALNI_MYkEHYBHCdrRqKgzQZYrDTws1WahA&prev_fmts=0x0%2C414x90%2Cauto&nras=2&correlator=2629087606385&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2054648980.1635763986&ga_sid=1635763986&ga_hid=983189621&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-240&u_his=1&u_h=896&u_w=414&u_ah=896&u_aw=414&u_cd=32&adx=0&ady=2306&biw=414&bih=699&scr_x=0&scr_y=-3&eid=31063166&oid=2&pvsid=2066120694314305&pem=536&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C414%2C0%2C414%2C896%2C414%2C699&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=8&uci=a!8&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=WzBIdkPMcp&p=https%3A//theorganiser.net&dtd=34
Now, God has answered our prayers. The European Union Election Follow-up Mission has lumbered in to undress President Bio’s failed government regarding the unprecedented Mid-Term Census among other pertinent issues. The EU Mission has realised that the SLPP government Mid-Term Census etc is not worth the money spent. In a press statement last week, the EU noted: “The Mid-Term Census is unprecedented; the stated reason for it is highly contested. The use of an optional census to provide data that might be used to change electoral boundaries shortly before an election is not conducive to the political atmosphere or good electoral practice. The European Union Election Follow-up Mission has repeated its recommendation that the voter register should be automatically produced from the civil register, which would save money and time. (Photos: NEC Chief Mohamed Kenewui Konneh, left, is corrupt. And Maada Bio’s forceful imposition of Mrs Zainab Umu Moseray, 2nd right, on NEC is an example of rigging. APC Scribe Osman Yansaneh, centre).
“The Mission has not seen evidence that sufficient progress has been made on this important issue. If an election is declared void, according to section 146.4 of the Public Election Act, another election shall be held. The 2019 High Court decisions to declare the runner-up elected in 10 constituencies, eroded confidence in the neutrality of the Judiciary! Unequivocal respect for the rule of law in election petitions is needed to ensure confidence in the electoral process. In addition, the delivery of timely effective resolution of electoral cases, in line with the deadlines Justice delayed is justice denied; the same applies to democracy,” the EU said. More details are as follows – Chief of Mission, Member of the European Parliament, Norbert Neuser made this statement during a joint meeting held on Friday, October 29, 2021. He said: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to return to Sierra Leone for the third time and be once more a guest in your country. I was first here at the time of Ebola as part of a European Parliament delegation showing support for Sierra Leone and offering appropriate assistance. In 2018 I observed the presidential and parliamentary elections as part of the Election Observation Mission.
“Today I am pleased to be back as the Head of the EU Election Follow-up Mission and to share with you our key findings. Before that; I would like to highlight the purpose of our mission. We are here to engage with a wide range of stakeholders; from government, civil society, political parties, electoral management, and regulatory bodies; in order to gather their views on the ongoing electoral reform process. Our mission is not an election observation mission; we did not observe the recent bye-elections, nor are we here to observe the forthcoming ones in two weeks. “Rather, our mission undertook a technical assessment of the state of implementation of the 29 recommendations made by the EU Election Observation Mission back in 2018. The implementation of these recommendations would enhance the credibility, inclusiveness, and transparency of Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections. In order to implement the recommendations, 9 constitutional amendments would be needed however none of them would require a referendum. A further 21 legislative changes would be necessary. Some of the recommendations could be addressed through administrative policies.
“An overall recommendation in 2018 was that the new parliament and government should resume the constitutional review process. Three years later, the need to reactivate the Constitutional review process remains. We are aware that a White Paper is eagerly awaited, but also that Constitutional change requires cross-party consensus and compromise in order to be successful and durable. Public participation is also needed. Timely disclosure of the White paper is a precondition for an effective, transparent, and accountable process and for re-engaging all stakeholders. There is a clear consensus on many issues – including that there should be a fixed date for future elections. Now the issue is to turn the discussion into law in time for the elections in 2023. https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-7357360780567964&output=html&h=345&adk=2282423035&adf=1996568354&pi=t.aa~a.2105401457~i.38~rp.4&w=414&lmt=1635763984&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=6457675062&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=414×345&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheorganiser.net%2Fsierra-leone%2F3704-why-the-eu-undresses-bio-s-unprecedented-plans-to-rig-2022-2023-elections-in-sierra-leone&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=321&rw=385&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1635763986101&bpp=2&bdt=1221&idt=2&shv=r20211027&mjsv=m202110260101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Dbf85c337c0891f1c-2286087c38cc0075%3AT%3D1635754214%3ART%3D1635754214%3AS%3DALNI_MYkEHYBHCdrRqKgzQZYrDTws1WahA&prev_fmts=0x0%2C414x90%2Cauto%2C414x345&nras=3&correlator=2629087606385&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2054648980.1635763986&ga_sid=1635763986&ga_hid=983189621&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-240&u_his=1&u_h=896&u_w=414&u_ah=896&u_aw=414&u_cd=32&adx=0&ady=4850&biw=414&bih=699&scr_x=0&scr_y=-3&eid=31063166&oid=2&pvsid=2066120694314305&pem=536&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C414%2C0%2C414%2C896%2C414%2C699&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=9&uci=a!9&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=4nS4yju5DJ&p=https%3A//theorganiser.net&dtd=36
“The Mission has been told that there is a significant decrease in trust in the essential bodies which play integral roles in the forthcoming elections. These include the judiciary, NEC, PPRC, and the police. Our findings are that these institutions’ reputations are less trusted than is needed. But further, our assessment is that there are real grounds for concern in the ways in which these bodies have administered recent bye-elections. There are surely some lessons to be learned from the management of the last bye-election, which can be trialled in future bye-elections. In 2018, the EU Election Observation Mission recommended – the improvement of results and reconciliation form – the timely publication of detailed tally procedures – the publication of disaggregated results by polling stations. (Photo: NRCA boss Mohamed Massaquoi, another corrupt SLPP party member. The recent Koinadugu District Bye-election is another example of NEC rigging).
“Those issues were not touched upon during the national validation conference of August 2021 as it focused on electoral legal reforms. Therefore, the Election Follow-up Mission encourages the National Electoral Commission to engage with all electoral stakeholders to address those issues to restore confidence in the electoral management bodies and strengthen both, the transparency and integrity of the electoral process. In our assessment, the government has a role in providing both sufficient and timely funding – but equally importantly the political space – for these institutions to demonstrate their neutrality and independence which are absolutely essential for elections being recognised as credible by citizens and observers. The government has committed to the creation of a National Election Sustainable Trust fund account – which if fully implemented would address one of the recommendations. So far, the details of this have not been communicated to the NEC and other bodies.
“If an election is declared void, according to section 146.4 of the Public Election Act, another election shall be held. The 2019 High Court decisions to declare the runner-up elected in 10 constituencies, eroded the confidence in the Judiciary. Unequivocal respect for the rule of law in election petitions is crucial for ensuring confidence in the electoral process. In addition, the delivery of timely effective judicial redress is a paramount feature regarding the fairness of election dispute resolution. At the National Validation Conference on electoral reform in August 2021, the consensus was reached regarding the need to revise courts’ procedural rules ensuring that election petitions are adjudicated within a reasonable period of time. Justice delayed is justice denied; the same applies to democracy.
“The Mid-Term Census is unprecedented; the stated reason for it is highly contested. The use of an optional census to provide data that might be used to change electoral boundaries shortly before an election is not conducive to the political atmosphere or good electoral practice. The Mission repeats its recommendation that the voter register should be automatically produced from the civil register, which would save money and time. We have not seen evidence that sufficient progress has been made on this important issue. The Mission welcomes that a Bill was formally introduced in parliament this month that has the stated aim of increasing women’s participation in public and political life. However, the consultation process in preparing the draft was lacking. We share the hopes of many in Sierra Leone that a meaningful consultation process and clear re-drafting of the Bill will, in combination with political parties’ own internal policies result in at least 30% of MPs being women in 2023.
“There have also been improvements regarding the Independent Media Commission. By modifying the appointment procedures for board members, who are no longer appointed by the President, another EU recommendation has been partially implemented. We furthermore acknowledge the achievement of decriminalising libel as a vital step in ensuring and strengthening freedom of expression in Sierra Leone. This amendment of the Public Order Act addresses fully one EU recommendation made in 2018. While there remain several issues of concern; there is still time remaining to address many of these issues. We recommend that the powers in the Constitution be exercised with restraint and in the spirit of democratic compromise, not winner takes all,” the EU envoy concludes
