The All Political Parties Association Sierra Leone (APPA-SL) has, on 31st October 2022 in a press conference at the News Brookfields Hotel in Freetowm, informed journalists that the association is in full support of and therefore endorses the use of the Proportional Representation (PR) District Block System for 2023 General Elections.
According to Ibrahim Sorie Sesay, the Secretary General for APPA-SL said that his institution is a legitimate umbrella body for registered political parties in Sierra Leone and therefore recognized by the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) in Sierra Leone.
The Secretary General continued that the association has read with rapt attention the press release dated 21st October 2022 from the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), informed the public that in accordance with section 38 (a) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Brig. (Retired) Julius Maada Bio, has directed the ECSL to conduct the 2023 Public Elections using the Proportional Representation (PR) District Block System.
Mr Sesay explained that APPA-SL has also carefully read the provision in section 38(a) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and therefore wished to state that, His Excellency the President Brig. (Retired) Julius Maada Bio DID NOT act outside the provisions of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Mr Sesay explained that APPA-SL has also carefully read the provision in section 38(a) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and therefore wished to state that, His Excellency the President Brig. (Retired) Julius Maada Bio DID NOT act outside the provisions of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, the public would recall that the former President of Sierra Leone HE Ernest Bai Koroma in 2013 established the 80-man Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) chaired by the late Justice Edmond Cowan. The Committee in its report stated that its received thousands of suggestions from the public through submission forms and dozens of position papers from institutions and individuals within and outside the country.
The Committee after several consultations and validation of the report submitted its final report to the President Ernest Bai Koroma in 2016 and it was on record that the people of Sierra Leone unequivocally recommended that Sierra Leone should revert to the Proportional Representation (PR) System that was practiced in the 1996 and 2002 elections.
He further stated that considering the above, APPA-SL would like to commend President Bio for heeding to this long-awaited call from the people of Sierra Leone, as sovereignty belongs to the people.
APPA-SL believes that the PR is the political system that will help consolidate our national peace, tolerance and cohesion and thereby eliminate the political barriers presently surrounding our body politic.
“Mr. Konneh since his appointment has demonstrated integrity and professionalism in the discharge of his duties. And for this, APPA-SL unreservedly believes in the leadership of Mr. Konneh as the ECSL has conducted itself admirably and above reproach.
The ECSL has conducted elections that have led to the successful transition of power from one administration to another in a free, fair and transparent manner,” he applauded.
According to him, “APPA-SL unapologetically prefers the use of the PR system to the First Past the Post (FPTP) in the forthcoming June 24 multitier Elections because we believe it will promote political tolerance, peace, political fairness and inclusion of the views of the minority and their participation in governance processes.”
Below are other reasons APPA-SL is fully persuaded that PR is what we need in present-day Sierra Leone.
“The PR System strengthens inclusivity and calls for increased political participation in our politic and would accelerate gender empowerment, It guarantees women across the country of their 30% quota representation in parliament and local councils, lt is cost-effective as the resources spent in the conduct of bye-elections can now be redirected to other developmental programs such as Health, Education, Agriculture and infrastructures etc, It will put an end to security threats and tensions that used to characterize bye-elections and the associated challenges will become redundant, it reduces the campaign burden on individual candidates and it is more unifying, eliminates tribal and regional bigotry and the tension including violence associated with it, promotes national cohesion and helps in the consolidation of our hard-won peace, guarantees efficient, effective and quality representation in parliament and allows for greater political inclusivity and fairness by promoting political pluralism at all levels” he said.
