POLITICAL PARTIES REGISTRATION Political Parties Registration Commission – Annual Report ­ 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Table of Content …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...1‐3 Acronyms ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Ag. Chairman’s Foreword ……………………………………………......................................................................................5 Registrar’s Annual Review ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6 State of the Political Situation in Sierra Leone in 2010 ...…………………………………………………………………………………7‐8 Commissioners ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9‐10 Core Staff /Support Staff ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11‐12 Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 Part one (1) – Setting the Context – Formation of Political Parties 1.1 Synopsis of Political Party formation in Sierra Leone…………………………………………………………………………………14 Part Two (2) – History, Mandate and powers of the PPRC 1. History and Mandate of PPRC………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 1.1. Mandate of PPRC………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 1.2. Operational Independence of PPRC…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15 1.3. Powers of the Commission………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15 1.3.1. Conviction and/or Fine……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 1.3.2. Refusal to register political parties………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16 1.3.3. Formulation of Regulations in the discharge of its duties………………………………………………………………………..16 1.4. Vision, mission statement and guiding principles of PPRC………………………………………………………………………….16 1.4.1. Guiding Principles……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………16 Part Three (3) 1. Restructuring of PPRC……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………17 2. Induction and training of staff……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17 3. Plans to establish a resource center………………………………………………………………………………………………………………17 4. Relocation of Regional Officers……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17 4.1. Lack of Accommodation at the Head Office in Freetown……………………………………………………………………………18 5. Support to All Political Parties Youth Association APPYA……………………………………………………………………………….18 6. Working Visit to Political Parties…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..19 6.2 Courtesy calls on Partners……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………19 7. Outreach activities with political parties……………………………………………………………………………………………………….19 8. Political Parties Liaison Committee Meetings and DISEC Meetings…………………………………………………………………..19‐20 Political Parties Registration Commission ‐ Annual Report ‐ 2010 1 Political Parties Registration Commission – Annual Report ­ 2010 9. Inspection and verification of Political Party Offices…………………………………………………………………………………………20 10. Monitoring Activities………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………20 11. Press Releases issued……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20 12. Inter‐Party dialogue meetings…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………20 13. Training of party operatives…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….20 14. Inter‐party dialogue for Women’s Wings of Political Parties…………………………………………………………………………….21 15. Capacity building of Political Party Youth and Women’s Wings………………………………………………………………………..21 16. Violence incidence in Kono……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21‐23 17. PPRC host Diplomatic Corp in Kono…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..23 18. Monitoring the Kono District Council Bye‐ Elections…………………………………………………………………………………………23 19. Submission of the Legal Reform Framework document to President………………………………………………………………..24 20. Visit to Political Parties in Makeni……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..24 21. Launch of PPRC Strategic Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..24 22. Presentation of PPRC Strategic Plan to Parliament……………………………………………………………………………………………25 23. Monitoring of State Opening of Parliament………………………………………………………………………………………………………25 Part Four (4) Assessment of Political Parties 1. Fulfillment of the Constitutional provisions by Political Parties…………………………………………………………………………..26 2. Intra –Party Dynamics…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26 3. Enabling environment for the operation of Political Parties………………………………………………………………………………..26 4. Inter‐party Violence…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….26‐27 5. Voter apathy/relevance of Political Parties………………………………………………………………………………………………………….27 6. Status of the implementation of the Joint Communiqué……………………………………………………………………………………..27 7. Operations of Political Parties Newspapers………………………………………………………………………………………………………….27 8. Political Parties and media coverage……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27‐28 9. Active Registered Political Parties in 2010……………………………………………………………………………………………………………29 10. Inactive Political Parties……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..29‐30 11. Observation of Political Tolerance……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..30‐31 12. Revival of PPRC/CSO Forum……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32 13. Public Education ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..32 Part Five (5) – Recommendations 5.1. Government of Sierra Leone 5.1.1 Support to the PPRC………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..33 5.1.2. Reform of legal framework for PPRC……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….33 5.1.3. Support to Political Parties………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………33 Political Parties Registration Commission ‐ Annual Report ‐ 2010 2 Political Parties Registration Commission – Annual Report ­ 2010 5.1. 4. Implementation of the Joint Communiqué……………………………………………………………………………………………………..33 5.2 Political Parties 5.2.1. 30% Representation of Women in Party positions…………………………………………………………………………………………..34 5.2.2. 10% Representation of Youth in Party positions………………………………………………………………………………………………34‐35 5.2.3. Support to the Sierra Leone Police…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35 5.3. UNIPSIL and UNDP………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………35 5.4. The Security Sector……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35 Appendices 1. Financial Statement for 2010 2. PPRC Commissioners, Secretary and Staff list for 2010 3. Press Releases, Public Notices and News Briefs published in 2010 4. PPRC at Work 5. Visitor/Guests of PPRC between June and December 2010 Political Parties Registration Commission ‐ Annual Report ‐ 2010 3 Political Parties Registration Commission – Annual Report ­ 2010 Acronyms and Abbreviations AI ‐ Amnesty International APC ‐ All Peoples Congress Party APPYA ‐ All Political Parties Youth Association BRIDGE ‐ Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections CEDAW ‐ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination DISEC ‐ District Security Committee DMC ‐ District Monitoring Committee IFES ‐ International Federation of Electoral Systems IMC ‐ Independent Media Commission INEACE ‐ Institute of Electoral Administration and Civic Education IPAM ‐ Institute for Public Administration and Management MP ‐ Member of Parliament NAS ‐ Needs Assessment Survey NASSIT ‐ National Social Security Insurance Trust NDA ‐ National Democratic Alliance NEC ‐ National Electoral Commission NGO ‐ Non‐Governmental Organisation NRA ‐ National Revenue Authority PEPU ‐ Protectorate Education Progressive Union PNP ‐ Peoples National Party PPLC ‐ Political Parties Liaison Committee PPRC ‐ Political Parties Registration Commission PMDC ‐ Peoples Movement for Democratic Change PROSEC ‐ Provincial Security Committee SLAJ ‐ Sierra Leone Association of Journalist SLBA ‐ Sierra Leone Bar Association SLBC ‐ Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation SLLC ‐ Sierra Leone Labour Congress SLPP ‐ Sierra Leone Peoples Party SWOT ‐ Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats TEDEWOSIL ‐ Thorough Empowerment & Development for Women and Girls in Sierra Leone TRC ‐ Truth and Reconciliation Commission UN ‐ United Nations UNIPSIL ‐ United Nations Integrated Peace Support Office in Sierra Leone UNDP ‐ United Nations Development Programme YMCA ‐ Young Men Christian Association YWCA ‐ Young Women’s Christian Association Political Parties Registration Commission ‐ Annual Report ‐ 2010 4 Political Parties Registration Commission – Annual Report ­ 2010 Acting Chairman’s Foreword Although I have on a few occasions attempted what I now with hindsight regard as insurmountable challenges in life, yet I somehow did face the altogether biggest and most profound challenges when on 15th December 2005 I took an oath of office as Commissioner of PPRC. My readers would perhaps be delighted to know that I took over as Acting Chairman in 2008 after the death of the second Chairman Justice S.C.E. Warne who died in active service. The Year 2010 marked a new beginning in the annals of the PPRC. The Commission benefitted from a restructuring process and the recruitment of its core staff. Immediately after that, the newly appointed staff began work on 1st June, 2010. However, the provision of the required financial support for the work of the Commission will make the staff more effective. We cannot do so much without adequate funding and technical support from the Government of Sierra Leone and our valuable Development Partners. It is my fervent view that funding of programme activities of the PPRC should be substantially undertaken by the Sierra Leone Government and not under the sweet will of our development partners which