In their commitment towards the success of the ongoing registration process, the Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (COPPP) which constitute about 13 political parties, have proposed series of solutions to the issues bothering on the conduct of the ongoing voter registration process.
COPPP presented to pressmen a number of challenges associated with the ongoing voter registration process and proposed solutions in order to avert those challenges which may deprive many citizens from participating in the 2023 elections.
Addressing newsmen during the press conference organised on September 16th 2022, in the King Palace Hall,85 Wellington Street in Freetown, member of the main opposition All People's Congress (APC) Alfred Minkailu Koroma said the conference was held in order to not only communicate to the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone (ECSL), but also the Elections Management Bodies (EMBs), diplomats in the country and other international organisations.
Highlighting some of the challenges associated with the ongoing registration process, Leading Presidential Aspirant of the APC Party, Dr. Richard Konteh, dubbed D-Unifier, said the software used by ECSL were faulty in the sense that the software only provides for those who are 18 and above and do not accept those who will be turning 18 on or before June 24, 2023.
He said coupled up with depriving first time voters, the machines procured were also faulty with challenges of electricity problems ravaging the process. He also mentioned about a well-orchestrated political intimidation during the process of registration by some members of the ruling party,the Sierra Leone Peoples Party.
Dr.Konteh noted that no eligible potential voter should be denied the right to register and vote come 2023.
DR. Denis Bright, Chairman and Leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) party, said the central point of democracy is voting process, which he said no one should temper with.
"The only powers the ordinary citizens possess is to vote and make choice of who they wanted or not. I think it is wrong, unfair and wicked to intimidate potential voters as being done against our first time voters who are also finding it very difficult to register," he said.
Dr. Bright said most of the challenges were only reported from the North and Western regions of the country and pleaded with the Chairman of the ECSL to do his work diligently and honestly because posterity will be there to judge him for whatever he does in his present capacity.
Other speakers including Hon. Abdul Kargbo of the APC and Hon. Sahr Charles of the Coalition for Change party, all of whom spoke on the challenges of the voter registration process and the way forward.
At the press conference, first time voters who were rejected to be registered despite having all the required documents gave testimonies to the press and pleaded with government to come to their aid.
A press release issued during the conference highlighted several concerns about the voter registration process which includes deliberate attempt to deprive mostly first time voters in the North and Western regions, birth registration and unequal treatment by the ECSL.
According to the statement, reports were received of obstacles for first time voters who want to register are coming from the Northern and Western regions of the country.
"Reports from the Southern and Eastern regions especially Kenema, Bo and Pujehun districts show that first time voters are not having the same difficulties of being identified, even without a birth certificate."
COPP recommended that Parliament should invite the ECSL to discuss all the anomalies and complaints coming from the significant percentage of potential voters, that parliament should also investigate the issues of faulty machines to ascertain if there were any procurement lapses that should be further probed.
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They recommended to the ECSL to convene a meeting of the Political Parties liaison committee to hear report from political parties about the registration process and take onboard their concerns and suggestions.
"ECSL should commit to a policy of no eligible voter left behind and consequently prepared for an extension of the registration process and clear directives are given afresh to the Registration Officers so that their decisions are not left to discretion. The police should not interfere with the registration process and limit their rule to maintaining decorum at the queues and in the centres"
COPP finally recommended that the issues of first time voters and birth certificate be the subject of a special review so that the non-possession of birth certificate is made deterrent for voting.
