By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has agreed with the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to commence with the drafting of Regulations that will provide for Sierra Leoneans performing this year's pilgrimage in Mecca and subsequent pilgrimages of all Faiths that coincide with general elections, to vote by proxy.
This decision was reached after the Minister of Social Welfare, Baindu Dassama, informed Political Party leaders that the Hajj this year has coincided with the holding of the country’s general elections, slated for 24th June 2023 in a meeting hosted by the PPRC with the leadership of registered Political Parties in Sierra Leone on the 31st January 2023.
According to Minister Dassama, the Authorities in Mecca have allocated a quota of 1,200 (one thousand, two hundred) for Pilgrims to the Country, which is said to be likely taken by prospective pilgrims.
She was concerned that 1,200 Sierra Leoneans will be disenfranchised if nothing was done in that regard.
However, both ECSL and Parliament referred her to the PPRC for consultation with Political Parties to get a consensus, so that necessary steps will be adopted to amend the situation, without offending the ECOWAS Protocol.
Speaking at the meeting, the Director of Operations ECSL, Mohamed Turay in his contribution, explained to the Political Parties that, there is no provision in the extant Regulations for early voting. He said, if it is the consensus of Political Parties, the only option open for potential redress is proxy voting, and even that, he said regulations to that effect will have to be tabled to Parliament for promulgation.
The Political Parties, however, expressed concerns over the promulgation of the Regulations for just this one instance. They, therefore, recommended that, ECSL draft Regulations that will be applicable to pilgrimages of all faiths that may coincide with the holding of a general election, for the attention of Parliament.
In the same meeting, they also discussed issues regarding the Electoral calendar issued by ECSL where Political Parties were encouraged to regularize their status, particularly the Constitution of their Organs and their pre-election declarations.
The PPRC is said to be on top of the situation in terms of preparedness ahead of the upcoming general elections slated for the 24 June 2023.
It could be recalled that Parliament passed into law the Political Parties Regulation Commission Act of 2022 on the 24th of November 2022 to provide for the regulation, including the registration of political parties and other related matters.
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