BY: Hassan Alimamy Kamara
Leading flagbearer aspirant for the All People’s Congress (APC) party for the 2023 general elections, Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara, following concerns over the delay in the process of voter registration, has asked for the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to do the needful and ensure that every eligible registrant is given an opportunity to register.
In doing so, he said it should be done regardless of one’s place of origin, political attachment, tribe or what have you. Dr Kamara made this call on Wednesday 7th September 2022 at the Mafa Field Lumley, West End of Freetown, when he and his wife did their registration.
Regarding the delay as a result of only a single machine attached per center; the issue of first time voters facing difficult tasks to complete their registration; those without complete documents but have attained the required age and other concerns or challenges; he encouraged them to be calm and patient to ensure that they complete the process.
However, he has called on the central government to provide the needed support to ECSL for these challenges to be addressed; and for mechanisms to be instituted for the problems faced or identified.
He said he is aware of the ECSL human resource constraints, but he believes that if the government gives the required support, those challenges can be salvaged.
He emphasized that those who will be having their 18th birthday on the eve of the elections should be entitled to and allowed to register as they may have reached the age to vote.
No matter how long the process might take, “There is no law stating the time line of the registration, the number of registration centers,” he said.
He reiterated that the qualified registrants must be given a fair treatment, equal opportunity to bestow confidence in the process. With regard this, he said hoped the ECSL commissioner and his team take into cognizance the numerous complaints being filed and ensure that they are given the needed solution.
He also asked for ECSL to alternate the manual form of registration in a situation of faulty machines to help fasten the process. As Sierra Leone is a developing country and cannot afford to do an online or electronic registration, nonetheless the need for digital education is eminent.
He continued to lament on the issue of insufficient ECSL materials and frowned at the single computer per center, especially at bigger centers like the one he and his wife did theirs. So, he added that people must be given fair treatment and encouragement in order for them to have confidence in the political system of the country. For he also said it is a time for people to be given their rights to choose their political leaders who are to govern them for the next five years.
Commenting the attitude of some political leaders, he recommended for standards to be set before one holds an office of trust, which has to do with the lives of the people. He said when it comes to good track records, some of them do not possess such; and that they sometimes lack the capacity and qualifications to lead. Therefore he asked for change in tactics and attitudes for the people to continue to have confidence. He stated that for some people politics is an end game; but it should not be that way, but it should be a means to an end and not an end in itself.
“If you lose in politics, it does not mean that is the end of your life,” he advised.
