By Saio Marrah
The recent mediation between the Government of Sierra Leone and the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC), saw an agreement reached that would ensure all political party supporters who were displaced due to election- related tension in their communities be supported for resettlement.
They are to include those who were internally and externally displaced due to political intimidation, attacks and harassment in recent times.
The agreement was reached during the three-day dialogue 16 -18 October 2023 in Freetown.
According to the agreement, the list of affected individuals would be presented by the APC and other political parties for immediate consideration by the government.
The mediation team for the APC was led by former Presidential Candidate, Samura M.W.Kamara (Ph.D), whilst the Chief Minister, David Moina Sengeh (Ph.D) represented the government.
Both parties also agreed to institutionalization of an inter-party dialogue framework involving all political parties- a dialogue that would be facilitated by the government.
The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in a public notice welcomed the just-concluded dialogue and said: “As agreed, the SLPP will prepare and share a comprehensive list of all its affected supporters to the Government of Sierra Leone for consideration,” part of the public notice reads.
The SLPP particularly commended the commitment of the Government of Sierra Leone to support inter-party engagement in the interest of peace, consolidation and strengthening good inter-party relations.
It was agreed at the end of mediation that both the government and the main opposition “engineer and rekindle the relationships within the national socio-political ecosystem such as between…the president and former leaders (former presidents and vice presidents) the APC and SLPP leaders, etc.” .
To achieve the agreement, the government and the main opposition are to establish an independent committee of “Moral Guarantors” to support and monitor the implementation of the agreement.
It was also agreed that President Julius Maada Bio makes a national address on dialogue, unity, cohesion and peace.
Both the government and the main opposition are to also constitute a cross party committee on electoral systems and management body review with a three-way leadership nominated by the government, APC and international partners.
Among other agreements, government should release persons arrested, detained or imprisoned for alleged elections and civil protest. They also agreed for the discontinuation of all politically motivated court cases against the APC and other political parties.
The dialogue was aimed at ending the political impasse following the June 2023 General elections.
The Common Wealth, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion of Sierra Leone facilitated the dialogue.
The Former Vice President of the Gambia, Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang served as the joint facilitator at the talks.
The APC will now take their seats in Parliament and the Local Councils, ending a boycott since the end of the elections after the main opposition questioned the outcome of the results.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (20/10/23)
