SLPP adopts new code of conduct governing the behaviour of its members

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 12 August 2015

The executive council of Sierra Leone’s main opposition party – the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) met last week – 7^th August to 8^th August 2015, to discuss and officially affirm the recent Court decision, restraining the party from holding elections at any level of the party.

The meeting also adopted new rules and code of conduct regulating the behaviour of members of the party.

This new code of conduct comes, as some of its leaders and members are alleged to be conducting acts that many members find both disturbing and destabilising, which they say could affect the party’s chances of winning the 2018 elections, if it is not curbed.

But the expectations of the public do not appear to have been met by the three resolutions passed by the executives at the two-day meeting of the governing council, which critics say, failed to officially clarify the membership status of presidential hopeful – Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, so as to end weeks of dirty speculation and rancor.

Many members were also hoping that the national executive council, would set out a clear timetable for the next General Meeting and election of the party’s presidential candidate, though this is expected to take place in September 2016.

Meanwhile, calls for the national executive council to step down continue to grow louder.

These are the resolutions passed by the council in Freetown:

NEC RESOLUTION ONE – AUGUST 2015

WE the Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) herein assembled at the National Headquarters of the Party in Freetown on the 7^th and 8^th August 2015:

TAKING NOTE of the decision of the National Officers of the Party made on the 19th June 2015 to convene a meeting of the NEC to request an extension of the tenures of all the executives of the Party at all levels and to thereby postpone all internal Party executive elections whilst there is in existence a State of Public Emergency in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991 (Act. No, 6 of 1991);

TAKING NOTE ALSO of the correspondences to that effect dated 19th and 23rd June 2015 conveying that decision of the National Officers of the Party to the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC);

TAKING NOTE FURTHER of the Ruling of the Supreme Court dated the 30th July 2015restraining the National Officers of the Party from organising, conducting, participating or causing the organisation or conduct of all lower level, national delegates or officers’ elections within the SLPP, including Zonal/Chiefdom Executive Elections, Constituency Executive Elections and District Executive Elections, until the hearing and determination by the Court of the action between Allie Essa Bangura and Chief Bai Shebora Somano Kapen III and 27 Others;

TAKING NOTE FURTHER of the undertaking by the Supreme Court to conduct a speedy trial of the action and that that trial is scheduled to commence on the 24th September 2015,

HAVE HEREBY RESOLVED:

That in the light of the foregoing and pending the outcome of the trial aforesaid the tenures of all the executives of the Party at all levels, including the National Officers of the Party, are hereby extended until the 30th November 2015 in the first instance and all internal Party executive elections are hereby postponed until further notice.

That the NEC shall be convened soon after the final decision of the Court is known to decide what further decisions and actions are necessary in furtherance of the aims and objectives of the Party.

NEC RESOLUTION TWO – AUGUST 2015

WE the Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) herein assembled at the National Headquarters of the Party in Freetown on the 7^th and 8^th August 2015:

RECALLING the provisions of Clauses 2 (4), 2 (5) and 4 (B) (5) (b) and (c) of the Constitution of the Sierra Leone People’s Party 1995 (as amended) dealing with matters of comportment and discipline of members of the Party;

HAVING RECEIVED from the National Officers of the Party a Draft Revised Rules and Regulations (Code of Conduct) Governing Discipline and Comportment of Members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP);

AND HAVING DELIBERATED upon it and found it to be appropriate for application to the Party and its members,

HAVE HEREBY RESOLVED to approve and adopt the said Revised Rules and Regulations (Code of Conduct) Governing Discipline and Comportment of Members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) 2015 (as amended) for application to the Party and its members.

Passed this 8th August 2015

NEC RESOLUTION THREE – AUGUST 2015

WE the Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) herein assembled at the National Headquarters of the Party in Freetown on the 7^th and 8^th August 2015:

RECALLING the provisions of Sections 29 and 85 (2) of the Constitution of the Sierra Leone 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991) dealing with the declaration of a State of Public Emergency;

HAVING RECEIVED from the National Officers of the Party a Press Release issued by them dated 28 July 2015 stating the position of the Party on the matter of Further Extension of the State of Public Emergency in Sierra Leone;

AND HAVING DELIBERATED upon it and found it to be appropriate for the present situation in the country,

HAVE HEREBY RESOLVED to adopt and reaffirm the said Press Release and hereby call upon all members of the Party and in particular all the SLPP Members of Parliament to faithfully abide and comply with the terms stated in the Press Release until further notice.

Passed this 8th August 2015.

Chief Bai Shebora Somano Kapen III

National Chairman & Leader of the SLPP