By Henry Kargbo
The Chairperson representing the All Peoples Congress (APC) party in the Tripartite Committee, Dr. Kelfala has told APC grassroots and party stakeholders that the Trapertite committee will nave sale out.
Dr. Marah made this statement Wednesday 14th February at the party’s headquarters in Freetown.
He informed party stakeholders that many Faulk in that party said they have collected monies to divert the process “we will never do such because the Recommendations from the Tripartite Committee is actionable and implementable”.
He noted their mandate are two folds which are to examine the June 23 general elections followed by looking into other elections from 2007 to 2018 general elections.
Dr Marah disclosed that inside the committee, the APC and the Government of Sierra Leone have seven representatives each, followed by the international community representatives, adding that they were tasked to set up terms of reference likewise the government was also given the task to do same which according to him, they sat and looked at the documents and made sure that they came out with one document which born out of the TOR.
“We all set out rules of proceedings and developed communication framework. We also developed the delivery framework and identified the areas of intervention. Our work was so difficult and at some point, we almost go apart,” Dr Marah said.
Speaking on Elections Result Management, he said they are going to review the processes involved in printing the Provisional and Final Voter Register, assess the procedures for shipment, tallying, and announcement of results at regional and national levels. Examining procedures for the transmission of results from centres to districts. Examine the procedures for the transmission of results from tally canters to the national tally centres, including staff identification, and authorization.
“The International Community has pledged their support in ensuring that this tripartite committee does its work efficiently. That is why the American Government has pledged to support electoral legal framework with the sum of one million five hundred United States Dollars ($1.5 million).
He ended by admonishing party’s supporters and the people of Sierra Leone not to pre-empt the outcome of the tripartite committee recommendations.
APC National Secretary General, Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya said the tripartite committee has done a marvellous job, recalling how in 2023 the general elections were conducted, in which the tallying process was stalled by electoral officials. He said they at the APC party had their tallying centre; just all of a sudden the ECSL announced 60 percent of the results which he said it was unprecedented.
“We challenged the results and boycotted governance which resulted in the Bintumani Communique. During the communique, we asked for the results, but ECSL didn’t produce it, a reason the International Community and both the APC and government advice for them to have a tripartite committee.
He also said that they want to tell the world through that the communique doesn’t only talk about reviewing election, but also the release of political prisoners, reintegrating of political refugees, dropping of all politically motivated cases, which according to him, nothing has been done in that direction.
He said the agreement that they signed was to bring peace in the country, but up till now their members and supporters in the Southeast are facing persecution and intimidation by the supporters of the ruling SLPP party.
