By Ibrahim J. Conteh
The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (EC-SL) has on Wednesday 24 August 2022, launched the 2022 Voter Registration exercise at the Brookfields Hostel in Freetown . The event which is considered as major step towards the realization of a transparent and credible 2023 elections. In attendance at the grand launch were government Ministers, Development Partners, leaders of political parties, representatives from MDAs and civil society organizations, the media and members of the Public.
The launch aims to raise the awareness and educate citizens and leaders of political parties to encourage eligible persons to register on 3rd September to 4th Octobers 2022 to be able to vote in the 2023 Multi-tier elections.
In his opening remarks during the launching event, the Chairperson of the event, Dr. Julius Spencer noted the importance of such an event adding voting in any country is the right and duty of every citizens to participate in the progress. Maintaining that citizens have the civil right and obligation to choose who represent them into governance and that will power can only be exercise in the ballot box, “we should dedicate ourselves to make sure that democracy thrive, we have a sacred responsibility to honour the memories of those who gave their lives for the furtherance of democracy” Dr. Spencer caution.
He continued that Sierra Leone is at a critical crossroads as political tension keeps mounting as we approaches the 2023 elections. He added that political parties also have the responsibility to inform and encourage their members to register to exercise one of their most basic rights, the right to democratically elect their representatives and fully restore legitimacy to their institutions as today marks the start of the process where citizens will exercise their democratic rights in June 2023.
In his part, the Director General of NATCOM, Daniel Kaitibi acknowledged the significant strives by EC-SL in enhancing an election that is transparent and credible. He revealed that the Commission was approached to see what they can contribute to augment the sensitization of voter’s education among citizens. He maintained that being a regulatory body, they would be working with mobile company operators, using their service to disseminate voter’s education messages via SMS and using a toll free line that would access across all networks. DG Kaitibi also revealed that a short code of 838 will be configured on all networks and ready to use shortly for voter’s registration purposes. He encourages all eligible citizens to go out and register to vote.
In his statement the UN Resident Representative, Pa Lamin Beyai stated Electoral assistance is a part of the UN’s core mandate and has been providing support to the Commission through capacity building initiative and broader engagement with relevant electoral stakeholders. He noted that the UNDP is honored to be part of this event, adding that a conclusive and accurate voter’s registration is a foundation for successful elections, however, he added, voter registration exercise is one of the most very challenging and expensive components of the any electoral operations.
Pa Lamin concluded in urging all eligible Sierra Leonean voters to take part in the registration process and use the opportunity to preserve their right to vote and choose their representatives in a democratic manner in the June 2023 elections.
The Chief Minster, Jacob Jusu Saffa noted that today’s event will serves as a demonstration of the country’s political leadership to ensure that Sierra Leone is counted among countries in the world that believes in upholding democratic value, he added that the 2023 election cycle was given the most meaningful boost by the HE the President with the pronouncement of a fixed election date and the enactment of the Public Election Act 2022.
In his keynote address the Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, Mohamed K. Konneh disclosed that in March 2022, with reference to Section 22 of the Public Election Act, 2012, His Excellency the President by Proclamation declared the period 3rd September to 4th October 2022 as the period for all eligible Sierra Leoneans to present themselves for registration as voters. According to him, the Electoral Commission increased the number of Voter Registration Centers (VRCS) by 10%, an increase from 3,300 to 3,630.
He revealed that the Register of Voters will be updated for the conduct of Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections in accordance with Sections 12 to 40 of the Public Elections Act, 2012 and Section 25 of the National Civil Registration Act, 2016.
The EC-SL Boss stated that Commission will use the 2,000 laptop computers in two registration cycles of fifteen (15) days each within the registration period 3rd September to 4th October 2022 saying in each registration cycle of 15 days, only half of the Voter registration centers will be opened in each district.