When all of this is over … the way forward
For far too long the citizenry had been looking forward to the November 17th polls. These elections many believed would be a classical test case to the strength of our democracy. Considering the significance of the just concluded multi tier elections, this to a very large extent will indicate two important issues. Firstly, the voter turnout will to some extent endorse the works of the incumbent and secondly to come out strongly to effect a change which they believed is as a result of poor performance. (I will leave that with you to make your judgments). And more significantly, the electoral process has been relatively peaceful across the country which has given credence to our democratic process and has given us an international recognition to have conducted peaceful elections amidst severe challenges.
Writing this piece, I want to specifically limit this article on teething issues that have to do with the conduct and outcome of the polls with regards the strength of our democracy. Prior to November 17 Polls, eruption of violence has been widely speculated to happen during and after the polls. On a whole, however, we could say kudos to all Sierra Leoneans for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and this has demonstrated the fact that Sierra Leoneans have crawled out of their skins (considering the dark past) and allow the will of the people to take precedence.
Through the electoral process and political campaigning, the role of the media needs not to be overemphasized. This has been showcased in the effort made by the Independent Radio Network to providing provisional results displayed by NEC official after the counting process. These results are only provisional and it is only the National Electoral Commission that has the constitutional mandate to announce the final result by the chief returning officer and Sierra Leoneans must wait for Christiana Thorpe to make this pronouncement. If I can just borrow a leaf from the US elections, the World CNN before even Governor Romney conceding defeat has been making comments as to who will win or who has won the elections prior to the outcome of the results in Florida, Ohio, Colorado etc. Then if the provisional results by IRN is anything to go by then the president stands to command a sweeping first ballot victory. According to the president this elections is a referendum on his performance and he is confident of winning in the first ballot. I will leave this issue for another day.
Sierra Leoneans are very much concerned about the consolidation of the peace they are enjoying. Therefore at a time like this every political party must refrain from making flaggerant statements that will be use by their supporters to be part of any post elections violence. It is the responsibility of every political party to put the country first and talk to their supporters to calm down and stay from violence and allow NEC to come out with the final result that will accepted by all. A reader of this piece will want to disagree with this base on the press statement by the SLPP flagbearer and party making allegations of elections malpractice during the process. This statement many believed was borne out of the announcement made by IRN provisional results and th4e main opposition has become jittery of smelling defeat. To concede defeat in African elections is rare and if the SLPP want to do so must do it with clarity and not to be making statement that has the potential of discrediting the authority of NEC and inciting supporters not to accept result when it is announced.
Just after polling day, the secretary general of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon congratulated the country for conducting a peaceful and violence free elections. Elections are most times marred by violence and these perpetrators are mostly youths. Efforts directed to this has yielded substantial dividend as youths across the country have stayed from violence. The youths they say are the power house of the human resource capacity of any country and a good number of them are now looking forward to a brighter future when the next president is announced. This optimism is not only shared by the youths but to other sectors of the society that are looking forward to a developed country. Sierra Leoneans must know that when the president is announced by NEC, he seizes to be president of a political party, region or tribe and becomes president of Sierra Leone responds to the needs and desires of every sierra Leonean. The incumbent have made serious gains to having a government of national character and hope that whosoever wins continues on this platform.
At this juncture Sierra Leoneans must desist from making provocative comments and help consolidate the peace. The final results will be out shortly and political parties and Sierra Leoneans must accept the result and think Sierra leone.
by Mohamed Thullah
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