BY THOMAS DIXON (232news.com)
Mohamed K Konneh, Chairman Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) has informed Sierra Leoneans that the 2023 ballot papers are being printed in South Africa.
He made this statement at Programme on Election Preparedness at the Brookfield Hotel in Freetown.
He said that the company that won the bid for the printing of ballot papers is the same company that did the ballot papers in 2012 and 2018, called REFORM in South Africa.
He explained that procurement processes were followed before they concluded on it and that they were given clearance by National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA).
He assured Sierra Leoneans of conducting a peaceful, transparent and credible election.
He said that they have done the electoral Cycle Strategic Plan where they highlighted the calendar of events and timelines of this event and for which they have been able to achieve 90% of their plans, hoping to meet the remaining 10%
He explained that with support International IDEA, they have an electoral risk management tool in which they are able to identify risk areas in all their activities related to planning and logistics.
He revealed that 90-95% of funding for this election is by the Government of Sierra Leone, noting that there are challenges with the voters’ identification card.
”I’m very much proud that I’ve motivated my staff and all of them are up to the task,” he said, revealing that they have completed printing of the final voters registrar and that Soft Copy of Voters Registration will be given to political parties yesterday Thursday 8 June.
” In as much as we want to be transparent, we want to respect the privacy of individuals. Therefore the Voter registry we will give political parties will be slightly different from what we will have,” he said.
He stated that he does things that are right and cannot be forced to do things on the terms of other people, noting that they have not violated any constitutional or legal provisions
He explained the technology they introduce in the nomination process, adding that they have already gazette the Presidential Candidate and that of the Members of Parliament and other positions will be done in a day or two.
