Sierra Leone’s electoral reform process has passed the halfway mark, according to the Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat (TSCS), which is overseeing the implementation of recommendations made to strengthen election management and public confidence in the country’s democracy.
Addressing development partners at the Irish Embassy in Freetown on Thursday, coordinator Ngolo Katta said there had been “a comfortable achievement” in implementing the recommendations and praised the “strategic and coordinated” efforts of state institutions, civil society, and the media.
Key institutions, including the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC), the Office of National Security (ONS), and the Attorney-General’s office, have completed more than half of the required reforms, Mr Katta said. Media regulators such as the Independent Media Commission (IMC), the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), and the Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB) have also achieved similar progress.
As part of the process, the Secretariat has engaged both state and non-state actors. Partnerships have been established with media organisations such as the Media Reform Coordinating Group, Independent Radio Network, Talking Drum Studio, and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists to review relevant legislation and promote public awareness of the tripartite process.
“The path is clearer, the trajectory is revealing, and the outcome predictable,” Katta told donors, while noting that significant financial resources would still be required to complete the reforms within the expected timeframe.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is managing a basket fund that will support civic education activities. The Secretariat said countrywide civic education campaigns and media training on the tripartite will begin within the next two weeks.
Development partners raised questions about the availability of disaggregated election data and the overlap between operations and administration at the ECSL. According to the Secretariat, a consultant has been commissioned to review voter registration and results management systems, as well as the functional structure of the electoral body.
The tripartite process was launched as part of efforts to improve electoral transparency and strengthen democratic institutions in Sierra Leone.
By Joe Turay
