Sam D Young: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 30 June 2023:
The recently concluded mayoral election in Freetown has sparked significant controversy and speculation. Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, a candidate running for the second time, has won a huge majority vote at the polls from the citizens of Freetown. However, concerns have been raised regarding the transparency and accountability of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), the body responsible for conducting the elections. These concerns are further exacerbated by the delay in announcing the election results, leading to speculations about another potential electoral malpractice.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr’s campaign resonated with the majority of Freetonians who perceive her as a dedicated and capable leader compared to her contender, Mohamed Gento Kamara.
The people of Freetown have placed their trust in Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr due to her track record of community engagement, effective leadership, and dedication to public service.
The integrity of any democratic election relies on transparency and accountability. Unfortunately, concerns have been raised regarding the lack of transparency and accountability within the ECSL. Both national and international observers have highlighted these issues, eroding public confidence in the electoral process.
The delay in announcing the mayoral election results has further fueled speculation of another potential election rigging, as the presidential elections.
Freetonians deserve a transparent and efficient electoral process that respects the will of the people. The prolonged delay only serves to increase suspicions among the public, fostering an atmosphere of doubt and undermining the legitimacy of the election.
Fair and credible elections are the foundation of any democratic society as they grant citizens the opportunity to exercise their right to vote and have their voices heard. The principle of one person, one vote ensures that the majority’s will prevails. When elections are tainted by allegations of rigging or lack of transparency, public faith in the democratic process erodes, and the legitimacy of elected officials is called into question.
Ensuring a transparent and accountable electoral process is not only crucial for Freetown but also for the image and reputation of Sierra Leone. International observers closely scrutinize democratic practices in a country, and any doubts about the integrity of an election can have far-reaching implications, affecting foreign investments, aid, and international partnerships.
Freetonians will not tolerate another instance of electoral malpractice. The citizens demand transparency and accountability from the ECSL. It is imperative that the chief returning officer and other relevant authorities address the concerns surrounding the delayed announcement of the election results and provide a clear and detailed explanation for the delay.
The delay in announcing the Mayoral election results and the allegations of rigging the presidential elections have created an atmosphere of doubt and mistrust.
To safeguard the principles of democracy and ensure that the will of the people is respected, it is crucial to uphold a fair and just electoral process.
Freetonians Say No To Rigging.
#TransformFreetown
#5MoreToDoMore
#FreetoniansSayNoToAnotherRigging
Carlos Kamars, you are in urgent need of getting hold of yourself by avoiding emotional throes which always threaten clear-headedness. If you disagree with me, just say so and explain why. You come across as somebody who is faster than the speed of sound in making a fist because you have lost the argument.
I am obliged that Mr Rashid Thomas has speedily put you down and in your place. We try to practice real democracy here, one of its greatest pillars is freedom of expression.
Many thanks for taking time time to read my piece.
Santhkie Sorie you a disgrace to the people of Sierra Leone for spreading false and fake information. What are you achieving from your lies? Is it divisiveness, hatredness, unrest and instability to Mama Sierra Leone? You are class as unpatriotic Sierra Leonean.
Carlos Kamara, I assume you are new here. Please refrain from insulting fellow commentators otherwise you will be expelled permanently. Mutual respect is what we practice here.
Predictions and Speculations are part of our DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. But let’s patiently wait and hear the RUSULT from the ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER who has the CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE for the announcement of the Mayoral , Chairman, Local Councilors and parliamentary elections results not only for Freetown but the entire country, which requires more time under the PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SYSTEM.
Maada Bio and Mohamed Konneh are in a quagmire. They have entrapped themselves so clearly that announcing the real result of the Freetown mayoral race will further reveal their treachery and confirm their loss of the general elections. Releasing the real result will show Yvonne Aki-Sawyer beating Gento by a large margin. With this being the case, Bio and Konneh will have no answers to embarrassing questions from both within the country and outside.
In the aftermath of the elections Bio has become a prisoner in an open prison. He knows that the country is more divided now than ever before with a segment of the armed forces posing the greatest threat to him. We shall henceforth see a Bio frighten to resume his jet-set days; Europe and North America have become no-go areas.
People have been discussing sanctions on the country by major European powers and the United States. There is no need for sanctions, we are already sanctioned. With the country being so tense and shaky, and could implode any minute, which meaningful investments will it attract? So what we have gazing at us is Bio accomplishing his dream of selling us to the Chinese, pocket the money, and disappear, telling us while in hiding that he was just trying to bring investments to the country.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyer won by a phenomenal margin, even the devil, who has enveloped Bio, Konneh and the entire SLPP,know this irrefutable fact. The country is in for a long dark night.
“To be educated is one thing and to be enlightened is another”. How many ECSL commissioners are there? If the story is true why can’t we wait to get the announcement from the body charged with that responsibility rather than creating animosity. Beware ! Sierra Leone peace is what we need.
Indeed, I have to admit that, Sierra Leone has always given me incessant heartaches and headaches on issues of critical importance relating to political governance…but this one is the straw that has now finally broken the camel’s back; How can anyone in their right and thoughtful minds even attempt to use the most subtle, deceptive and treacherous tactics to remove Mayor Aki Sawyerr…the most resourceful leader that our country has ever seen since the days of Siaka Stevens from that highly esteemed office she is currently holding? This cannot be…it must not be.
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Folks, in order to find answers to that burning question, we must first understand who we are dealing with here; We are contending with an unapologetic triablist…a cunning, unscrupulous individual that has used the unseemly methods of treachery to ascend towards the highest echelons of political power throughout his life; He is as slippery as a fish in water…a bloodthirsty anarchist behind the scenes, that always appears as pious and as harmless as a catholic priest under the unsuspecting gaze of the general public; True.
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Now, there’s a thief that steals a wallet, and another that enters a farmers barn at night, grabs a few chickens, and bolts away…I would argue that they stole nothing of substance because what was taken can be easily replaced; But there’s another kind of thief, a cruel, self-centered and unfeeling one…that robs poor people of their inalienable rights, destroying their lives forever; Such a thief is evil, dangerous, and he can be likened to Maada Bio. My humble advice to Mayor Sawyer is to stand firm…this is your finest moment to prove to them beyond all doubts that politics is not only a man’s game…women can wear trousers, and play it too; You must insist on having all of the votes being counted again, and if any discrepancies are found, the election results announced, must be annulled, declared invalid…it was all a sham.