As TOR Signed… Tripartite Committee To Investigate June 24 Election Results
By VOS Writer
The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Tripartite committee were officially signed on Monday 6th February,2024 at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Youyi Building- Brookfields with its objectives to investigate the 2023 General elections and previous elections in the country.
The tripartite committee was charged with the responsibility to investigate systems and procedures of previous elections including the just concluded June 24 general elections.
Speaking about the TOR, the Co-chair of the Tripartite Committee, Kaifala Marah, gave an highlight of the scope and objectives of the Tripartite Committee, which according to him, is to examine the 2023 June 24 election results and previous elections held in the country. “The committee will examine the 2023 election results, previous election results, data migration from NCRA To ECSL database, the procedures and certification of the publication of election results, and many more”, the APC Co-chair averred, adding that all the measures will be undertaken to correct the anomalies around election results and consistent with international best practices.
Co-Chair of the SLPP Government in the Tripartite Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima, spoke about the purpose and mission of the Tripartite Committee, which is to look into the reform of Election Management bodies in SierraLeone so as to avoid election disturbances and confusion whenever the country holds elections.
Gaima said the committee will take its time to look at all the various issues to come out with a number of bullet points which members of the committee agreed would form the basis of their examination into past election results so that when they eventually come out with their recommendations, they would be what the people of Sierra Leone are looking out for.
Dr. Gaima informed his audience that as a representative of the Government of Sierra Leone on the committee, he can say without any qualms that President Julius Maada Bio is solidly behind the reform of the electoral process in the country, adding that in his maiden speech to Parliament after the June 24 elections, he made it equivocally clear that among his priorities was to see the reformation of electoral laws, processes and procedures in Sierra Leone.
On her part, Resident Coordinator for the United Nations in Sierra Leone, Seraphine Wakana commended the APC and the Government of Sierra Leone for putting aside political biases and coming together to sort out their differences in a diplomatic way. She informed her audience that as a representative of the International Community, she is optimistic that the work of the tripartite Committee was very transparent, inclusive and interactive and that the outcome which would lead to eventual recommendations that would chart the way forward for reform of Sierra Leone’s election management bodies (EMBs) is the ultimate goal Sierra Leoneans are looking forward to.
She urged the concerned parties to continue the dialogue and to put the interest of Sierra Leone first.
The presence of our moral guarantor in the Tripartite Committee resonate how objectives and transparent the work of the committee will be in addressing electoral issues.
The TOR emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive investigation into the contentious June 24th polls, with the expectation that all available evidence will be thoroughly examined, leading to recommendations based on findings.
Anticipation surrounds the possibility of a unanimous recommendation for a rerun of the June polls, driven by the belief that evidence presented will underscore the need for a fair and transparent electoral process.
The tripartite committee is expected to work diligently and impartially to uncover the truth behind the June 24th elections, with their recommendations eagerly awaited as they hold the key to rebuilding trust in the democratic process.
