Sierra Leone A Pre-Election Assessment Report December 1991 Linda Edgeworth Joshua B. Forrest Andrew Scallan International Foundation for Election Systems 1101 15th Street, N.W., Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20005 phone: (202) 828-8507 • fax: (202) 452-0804 Sierra Leone A Pre-Election Assessment Report December 1991 This report was made possible by a grant from the U. S. Agency for International Development. Any person or organization is welcome to quote information from this report if it is attributed to IFES. IFES claims full responsibility for the content, analysis and opinions contained in this report. International Foundation for Election Systems, Washington, D.C. 20005 Sierra Leone: A Pre-Election Assessment Report, December 1991 Published January 1992 Printed in the United States of America ISBN 1-879720-93-0 Sierra Leone: A Pre-Election Assessment Report, 1992 i Contents INTRODUCTION .............................................................1 I. THE CONTEXT OF DEMOCRATIZATION IN SIERRA LEONE ...............4 The Historical and Geographical Context ........................................4 The Political Context and Electoral Experiences ...................................5 Post Independence Elections ...........................................5 President Siaka Stevens: The Single Party State .............................5 The Economic Context .....................................................6 Rating of Sierra Leone by the UNDP .....................................6 The “Informal” Economic Context .......................................7 Recent Events Toward Political Liberalization .....................................7 The Ethnic Context ........................................................8 Impact of the Charles Taylor Rebellion ..........................................9 II. RELEVANT LAWS, CODES AND REGULATIONS ..........................12 The Constitution ......................................................... 12 1978 or 1991 Constitution: A Source of Confusion ........................... 12 The New Constitution and the President’s Cabinet .......................... 13 Formation of Political Parties .......................................... 13 Election of Members of Parliament and the President ........................ 15 Election Law ........................................................... 15 The Letter of the Law/Perception of Selective Enforcement ................... 15 Election Offenses/Unethical Campaigning ................................ 16 Recommendations ........................................................ 16 III. TIMING THE ELECTIONS ..............................................17 Recommendations ........................................................ 18 IV. THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION .......................................19 Transition: Retirement of the Chief Electoral Commissioner .......................... 19 Process of Appointment ............................................. 20 Independence of the Commission ............................................. 21 General Organization ................................................ 23 Facilities ......................................................... 24 Recommendations ........................................................ 25 V. POLITICAL PARTIES ..................................................26 The 1992 Elections and the Ruling Party ........................................ 26 The 1992 Elections and the Opposition Parties ................................... 27 Recommendations ........................................................ 28 ii Sierra Leone: A Pre-Election Assessment Report, 1992 VI. KEY ELEMENTS ERODING THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE ...................29 Elections and Corruption ................................................... 29 Elections and the Fear of Political Violence ..................................... 30 Recommendations ........................................................ 31 VI. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS ...........................................32 Starting From Scratch ..................................................... 32 Time Table for Registration ........................................... 33 Field Registration Processing ................................................ 34 Registration Receipt/ID Cards ......................................... 35 Revisions, Omissions and Challenges .................................... 36 Computerization ......................................................... 36 Recommendations ........................................................ 37 VIII. DELIMITATION OF CONSTITUENCIES ..................................38 Recommendations ........................................................ 38 IX. ELECTION OPERATIONS ..............................................39 The Ballot ............................................................. 39 The Past: Voting With Marbles ........................................ 39 The Paper Ballot ................................................... 39 Election Day Activities at the Polling Stations .................................... 40 Procedures for Voting ............................................... 40 Security Measures at the Polls ......................................... 41 Election Workers ........................................................ 41 Insufficiency of Training ............................................. 42 Vote Counting/Certification of Election Results ................................... 43 Centralized vs. Local Counting ......................................... 44 Recommendations ........................................................ 45 X. CIVIC EDUCATION ...................................................46 General Issues .......................................................... 46 Overcoming Negative Perceptions ...................................... 46 Ethnic Diversity and Language Barriers .................................. 46 Special Needs of Women ............................................ 46 Public Information Components ........................................ 47 Administrative Responsibility .......................................... 47 Access by Political Parties ........................................... 48 Communication and Media Resources ......................................... 49 Dependence On-Site, In Person Outreach ................................ 49 Print Media ...................................................... 49 Radio ........................................................... 50 Creative Opportunities and Alternatives ........................................ 51 Recommendations ........................................................ 52 Sierra Leone: A Pre-Election Assessment Report, 1992 iii XI. THE ROLE OF ELECTION OBSERVERS ..................................53 Recommendations ........................................................ 54 XII. BUDGETARY NEEDS OF THE ELECTION PROCESS .......................55 Preliminary Budget Estimates ............................................... 55 Tentative Budget: Registration of Voters ....................................... 57 Tentative Budget: Conduct of General Election - 1992 .............................. 61 XIII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ......................66 Required Assurances ..................................................... 67 Technical Advisors ....................................................... 67 International and Local Observers ............................................ 69 General Administrative Commodities .......................................... 69 Voter Registration Commodities .............................................. 70 Civic Education .......................................................... 71 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................... 73 APPENDICES I. The Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 Parts I-IV ................................. 75 II. The Electoral Provisions Act (1990) ........................................... 97 III. Sample Ballots ......................................................... 113 Sierra Leone: A Pre-Election Assessment Report, 1992 1 Introduction In the fall of 1991, the Government of Sierra Leone approached the U. S. Embassy and other foreign governments requesting assistance in meeting the material, technical and financial demands of making a smooth transition to multi-party democracy, and implementing its first presidential and parliamentary elections under its newly adopted constitution. In response, the U. S. Embassy in Sierra Leone contacted the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), an independent, non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. Under a grant from the U. S. Agency for International Development, IFES assembled a three-member team of consultants, including members from the United States and the United Kingdom, to visit Sierra Leone on a 13 day mission to assess the strengths and weakness of the new election process, and the Government’s readiness and capability of conducting free, fair and democratic elections in 1992. It was anticipated that the focus of the IFES team’s examination would be on the electoral system itself. Generally, the team was to evaluate elements related to the overall effectiveness of the system’s legal and administrative procedures in meeting acceptable standards commonly associated with the conduct of free, fair and accountable elections. Based on its findings, the team was also to make recommendations for improvements to the process as well as proposals for participation