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Sierra Leone EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION REPORT SIERRA LEONE PRESIDENTIAL, PARLIAMENTARY AND LOCAL ELECTIONS 2018 EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION REPORT No 65 14 Park Rd, Richmond Johannesburg 2092, South Africa P O Box 740 Auckland Park 2006 Johannesburg South Africa Tel: 27 11 381 6000-7 Fax: 27 11 482 6163 Email: [email protected] www.eisa.org This project was supported by Sweden ISBN 978-1-920446-78-9 9 781920 446789 EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECtion OBserVER Mission REPort NO 65 i EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION REPORT SIERRA LEONE PRESIDENTIAL, PARLIAMENTARY AND LOCAL ELECTIONS 2018 ii EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECtion OBserVER Mission REPort NO 65 Published by EISA 14 Park Rd, Richmond Johannesburg South Africa P O Box 740 Auckland Park 2006 South Africa Tel: 27 11 381 6000 Fax: 27 11 482 6163 Email: [email protected] www.eisa.org ISBN: 978-1-920446-86-4 © EISA 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of EISA. First published 2020 EISA strives for excellence in the promotion of credible elections, participatory democracy, human rights culture, and the strengthening of governance institutions for the consolidation of democracy in Africa. EISA Observer Mission Report, No. 65 EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECtion OBserVER Mission REPort NO 65 iii CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................................................v Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ vi Executive Summary ........................................................................................... vii EISA’s Approach to Election Observation ...................................................... x 1. Historical and Political Overview .........................................................1 1.1 Historical Background.................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Political Overview ........................................................................................................... 4 2. Legal and Institutional Framework ....................................................12 2.1 The Constitution ........................................................................................................... 17 2.2 The Electoral System ................................................................................................... 17 2.3 Election Management .................................................................................................. 19 2.4 Party and Campaign Finance ...................................................................................... 21 2.5 EOM Assessment of Legal Framework ...................................................................22 3. The Pre-Election Phase ..........................................................................24 3.1 Delimitation of Constituencies..................................................................................24 3.2 Voter Registration ........................................................................................................26 3.3 Political Parties and Nomination of Candidates ...................................................30 3.4 Civic and Voter Education ..........................................................................................34 3.5 Election Campaigns ......................................................................................................34 3.6 Role of Civil Society .....................................................................................................36 3.7 Preparedness of The NEC ..........................................................................................38 4. Election Phase and Post-Election Phase .............................................41 4.1 Polling Day (7 March 2018) ......................................................................................... 41 4.2 Developments Between 7 March 2018 And 31 March 2018 .............................46 4.3 Polling Day 31 March 2018 .........................................................................................54 4.4 The Post-Election Phase ..............................................................................................57 Cross-Cutting Issues ...................................................................................63 5.1 Participation and Representation of Women, Persons with Disabilities, and Youth .................................................................................................63 5.2 Security ..........................................................................................................................68 5.3 The Media ......................................................................................................................70 6. Conclusion and Recommendations ......................................................... 73 6.1 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 74 6.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 74 iv EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECtion OBserVER Mission REPort NO 65 Annexures ......................................................................................................79 Annexure A: EOM first Round Group Photo .........................................................................79 TAM Group photo ................................................................................................79 Annexure B: EOM Deployment Plan ........................................................................................80 Annexure C: EOM Deployment Map ........................................................................................82 Annexure D: Observer Briefing and Orientation Programme ..........................................83 Annexure E: EISA Technical Assessment Mission Schedule ...............................................85 Annexure F: Preliminary Statement .........................................................................................88 About EISA: .................................................................................................................................103 EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECtion OBserVER Mission REPort NO 65 v ACRONYMS AND AbbReviaTIONS ADP Alliance Democratic Party APC All People’s Congress CCYA Center for Coordination of Youth Activities CDP Citizens Democratic Party CGG Campaign for Good Governance CRC Constitutional Review Commission C4C Coalition for Change DYCs District Youth Councils ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States FPTP First-Past-the Post IESPC Integrated Elections Security Planning Committee IGR Inter-Governance Reforms IMC Independent Media Commission IRIN Integrated Regional Information Networks MP Member of Parliament MRCG Media Reform Coordinating Group NAC National Advisory Council NAYCOM National Youth Commission NCRA National Civil Registration Authority NDA National Democratic Alliance NEC National Electoral Commission NECDiP NEC Disability Policy NEW National Elections Watch NGC National Grand Coalition NPD National Progressive Democrats NURP National Unity and Reconciliation Party ONS Office of National Security PLP Peace and Liberation Party PMDC Peoples Movement for Democratic Change PPA Political Parties Act, 2002. PPLC Political Party Liaison Committee PPRC Political Parties Registration Commission PVT Parallel Vote Tabulation PWD Persons with Disabilities ReiNIP Republic National Independence Party RUFP Revolutionary United Front Party SLAJ Sierra Leone Association of Journalists SLBC Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation SLP Sierra Leone Police SLPP Sierra Leone People’s Party TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission UDM United Democratic Movement UN United Nations UNIPSIL United Nations Peace Mission in Sierra Leone UNPP United National Peoples Party UP Unity Party WFD Westminster Foundation for Democracy vi EISA INTERNATIONAL ELECtion OBserVER Mission REPort NO 65 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Election Observation Mission (IEOM) to the 2018 presidential, parliamentary and local provincial elections in Sierra Leone would not have been possible without the assistance and support of several individuals and institutions. EISA expresses its appreciation to the mission leader, His Excellency, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, former president of the Republic of Nigeria, and his deputy, Mr. Denis Kadima, EISA’s executive director, for their leadership. EISA also acknowledges its observers for their commitment and hard work in the field. EISA wishes to thank the stakeholders who provided invaluable information and support necessary for the success of the EISA IEOM. These include the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the political parties, the judiciary, civil society groups and independent experts. EISA thanks the leadership of other international observer missions for their partnership and camaraderie. Thanks to the Elections and Political Processes Department at the EISA head office for organising the EISA IEOM. Specific thanks to members of the core team that supported the mission. The deployment of the EISA IEOM was made possible by the generous financial contribution of Sweden.
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