By Mabinty M. Kamara
The sub regional grouping Mano River Union (MRU) has called for peace ahead of crucial elections this month in two of its member states.
The MRU comprises Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire; Guinea is heading for elections this week – October 18, while Cote d’Ivoire is slated to conducts its poll on October 31.
In both countries tensions have been heightened by the decisions of the incumbent to contest for third term, after altering their constitutions, amidst protests, sometimes bordering on violence, by opposition activists.
The sub region has a history of political unrests and military coups. And this has raised concerns beyond their borders about the potential for violence.
In a statement on Thursday, the Secretariat of the bloc, which is hosted in Freetown, called on all political players in the countries to conduct themselves in the interest of peace and stability.
MRU Secretary General, Medina Wesseh, told journalists that she had held engagement with various national stakeholders in the two member countries with the view of getting them maintain peace in their respective countries.
Ms Wesseh cited a joint statement by the Foreign Ministers of Sierra Leone and Liberia tasking her to ensure this and to facilitate effective management of the elections.
According to the statement, the move is in line with the revised 15th Protocol of the Mano River Union on Peace, Security, Defense and Good Governance adopted by the heads of state in June 2012 in Conakry.
“We have held several elections in the sub region and these were generally agreed and accepted as free and fair. It is against this background that we expect that all stakeholders would abide by the rule of law to avoid any form of electoral violence which has the potential to destabilize the sub-region,” the statement reads.
The situation in Guinea was recently aggravated by allegation from its incumbent President Alpha Conde that Sierra Leone, specifically it’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, was interfering with their electioneering processes to the extent of training mercenaries ahead of the election.
Following reports on the allegation, there have been growing concerns over the safety and security of Sierra Leoneans in Guinea. The Sierra Leone government has maintained a tight lip on the issue.
The MRU Secretariat also declined to comment on it and on Thursday Secretary General Wesseh didn’t take any question from the press.
On Wednesday, the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea issued a statement allaying fears over the alleged insecurity of its nationals in that country. It noted that information circulating on social media about the issue were fake.
“In some of those fake news, it is alleged that Sierra Leoneans are being harassed and molested in the capital and around the Conakry-Guinea [area]. This information is not true and cannot be true,” it said, noting that the embassy, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Nationals Union, had been engaging Sierra Leoneans across the country through mainstream media and community meetings.
The embassy further admonished Sierra Leoneans in the country to comport themselves and to stay clear of the country’s electioneering process.
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