BY THOMAS DIXON
232NEWS, FREETOWN
“United States (US) is concerned about irregularities in the results that were announced by the ECSL that includes big difference between the ECSL announced result and the Parallel Votes Tabulation as well as inconsistencies that were analyzed by domestic and international observers,” this is how the United State Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer restated the US position on the reelection of President Bio.
He made the US position on local radio station in Freetown, noting that all of this things raised questions in the minds of not just the United States but people all over the world and about the integrity of the official results.
He said that they have asked for investigation to be conducted by an independent outside source to look at the result of the elections in Sierra Leone.
“In addition, we have also called for dialogue between the two parties, between all parties really to see how Sierra Leone can move forward towards the next elections in 2028. We have called on the APC not to boycott parliament,” he said.
He explained that he puts out a tweet calling on the APC to go to Parliament which is probably the most controversial thing he has done since he was in Sierra Leone as an Ambassador.
“I got reaction both positives and negatives but we feel that if there should be a democracy you have to have two parties. Both parties should participate. We have to think about the people who voted for the APC, their voices need to be heard. That is why we pushed the APC as well to participate in the government,” he stated.
He reiterated that the US has no doubt that President Bio is the President of Sierra Leone, adding that, they have no doubt about Bio’s presidency.
He stated that they are reviewing all their government-to-government programs with Sierra Leone but that what is going to change is the work that they are doing for the people of Sierra Leone. He maintained that their focus in Sierra Leone is on the, so the health will not only continue but may expand.
“What we have called for is an independent outsider to look at the 2023 elections. Any commission set up by one of the political candidates in the election cannot be independent. I have a lot of respect for the Vice President. I respect his integrity but because he was one of the candidates, we don’t see that as a proper means to take a look at what happened in the past and what will happen moving forward,” the US Ambassador reiterated.
He noted that it is just not possible for someone who was a candidate in the election to look at the process and not be bias.
“We have raised questions about integrity and the credibility of the results. In order to look at that, you need to have someone who is outside the process,” he added
He stated clearly that the election has affected the Compact because according to him, the year preceding the elections the US was very clear with the government of Sierra Leone that in order to get a compact, they needed a very free, fair and transparent elections.
“Sierra Leone has done everything else to pass the scorecard but the one remaining thing will be a Free and fair election. Giving the facts that there all set of questions, we take a look at everything,” he said.
He however stated that the MCC is not canceled out rightly but they are slowing down, taking a pause and that they are going to see what the government of Sierra Leone does next before they move on with the COMPACT.
“We had communicated to the government that for an outside independent look at the election. We also want to see a dialogue with Civil Society, Political Parties.”
He said that the preference for the review of the election should be someone outside the country and who is completely divorced from any tie with Sierra Leone.
