State House, Freetown, Monday 1 July 2024 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has received the Cross-Party Initiative Committee’s report on the Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review and assured of his government’s commitment to the full implementation of its recommendations.
The President described the completion of the process as a significant milestone in the country’s journey toward strengthening democracy and ensuring credible, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes in Sierra Leone. He said the event represented the first time the nation had taken such a comprehensive look at the electoral systems, structures and processes.
President Bio reminded the audience that “the Cross-Party Committee’s mandate was to identify the challenges, lay a pathway towards addressing some of the age-long gaps in our electoral system, and provide a platform for free, fair, transparent, and credible elections in the future”. He said the report’s findings were extremely important to the nation and had the potential to have a positive impact on future elections.
The President also emphasised that the review process was truly historic, as it marked the first time the government and the country’s leading opposition party had joined forces to undertake such a developmental exercise. He described the unprecedented collaboration as a powerful demonstration of the country’s shared commitment to the electoral process, which, he noted, would be remembered in the democratic history of the nation.
“As I received this report, I acknowledge the extensive consultations, research, and deliberations that have sharpened its contents. This reporting body represents the voices of a diverse cross-section of our society, including political parties, civil society, the media and ordinary people. It reflects our collective commitment to building an electoral system that is resilient, fair, and capable of delivering free and fair elections.
“My government understands the need to work with the opposition and all relevant stakeholders to address the challenges for our democracy, build on the gains we have made as a nation since the war ended in 2002, and secure the country’s democratic future. I, therefore, want to commend both the government and the APC representatives on the Tripartite Committee for their dedication to such an important national service, and to all of you, I want to say a big thank you,” the President acknowledged.
President Bio assured that “my government, therefore, commits to implementing the full report recommendations of the Tripartite Committee. I will ensure that the process is as inclusive and participatory as possible. I sincerely thank you all for this priceless service to our country”.
The government of Sierra Leone and the All People’s Congress, at the end of a mediated dialogue in October 2023, signed the agreement for National Unity to foster peace, unity, and national cohesion, focusing on electoral justice, accountability, and transparency, especially after the 2023 general elections.
The report is a mixed bag of issues that evolved around the elections of 2007, 2012, 2018, and 2023, the most recently concluded general elections.
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