By Abass Jalloh
With support from Irish Aid, the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) has launched a report reviewing the administration of electoral justice in Sierra Leone in a bid to strengthen governance and accountability processes, considering the nature of the 2023 elections.
The report, which focuses on the causes of electoral disputes, elections management bodies and security was presented to Chief Justice, Babatunde Edwards, by the Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Claire Buckley, in the presence of other actors in the electoral system.
According to the Executive Director of CARL, Ibrahim Tommy, the objective of the study is to provide an assessment of the legal and structural environment for the effective administration of electoral justice in Sierra Leone, adding that it has assessed the capacity of existing electoral justice mechanisms in which they have recommended for reforms that they hope may expand opportunities for addressing electoral challenges and disputes.
“Through this effort, we want to help build and strengthen an electoral justice environment or ecosystem that resolves elections-related complaints, guarantees full compliance with the law and helps democracy in Sierra Leone thrive,” Tommy said.
He added that the right to vote is not only a cornerstone of democracy but also a right under both national and international law. “Electoral justice has a fundamental role in the continual process of democratization and serves as a catalyst for the transition from the use of violence as a means of resolving political conflicts to the use of lawful means to arrive at a fair solution and outcome.”
He said the report identifies the common causes or sources of electoral complaints in the country and that they had discussed how the inadequacies in the electoral mechanisms undermine access to justice and the impact of peaceful and transparent electoral processes.
In his statement before receiving the report, Justice Edwards said as judiciary it was good for them to be receiving this kind of report but emphasized that “it is coming a little bit late”.
The Chief Justice said even before this report was done, other reports had been made and because of those reports they had had several changes in so far as this electoral cycle is concerned. “So all that is in preparation of the 2023 elections; we are going to delve into this booklet to see areas where we will need to do reforms,” he assured.
He added that “we need a fair and effective democratic process in Sierra Leone, and this all goes towards helping us in doing that, and in so far as the judiciary is concerned, it tells a lot that they are expecting a lot from the judiciary. Sierra Leone is a seasoned debating society where the debates never stop.”
On behalf of the Chief Electoral Commissioner a legal officer at the commission, Hawa Mariam Konneh assured that the commissioner is willing to work with CARL and Irish Aid in upholding electoral justice in Sierra Leone. “Electoral rights are at the height of political rights which have a category of human rights,” She said. “It is important that electoral justice system establishes means or measures to prevent or avoid electoral disputes and construct mechanisms to correct irregularities. Though prevention does not mean that no disputes are filed through electoral process rather it involves promoting adherence to rules and regulations in which we have the Public Elections Act No. 17 of 2022 which guides us and is clear, simple and consistent.”
Other representatives from the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), Sierra Leone Police, Human Rights Commission (HRC-SL), and inter-Religious Council Sierra Leone (IRC-SL) were present to make brief statements in support of the said report.
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