Prominent public interest advocate and democracy activist, Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah Esq., in his attempt to address concerns raised by political parties and ensure transparency in the electoral process, has formally requested the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to provide information on the certified and verified district-level results of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections held on June 24, 2023.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Marrah, who is also a citizen of Sierra Leone and a registered voter in the recently concluded general elections, cited Section 2(1) of the Right to Access Information Act 2013 as the basis for his request. The Act allows citizens to seek confirmation on specific information from public institutions.
The letter specifically seeks confirmation regarding the custody and possession of all sixteen districts’ certified summary results by the respective District Returning Officers, as required under Section 92(1) of the Public Elections Act 2022.
Additionally, Marrah’s request inquires whether the district certified summary results were duly verified by counting agents, representing various political parties, and if they were made available to counting agents and observers at the respective offices of the District Returning Officers, as mandated by Section 92(2) of the Public Elections Act 2022.
Marrah, in his letter, also emphasized the importance of transparency and openness in electoral processes, particularly in light of concerns raised by both the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party and the opposition All Peoples Congress Party regarding the announced election results. These concerns have led to doubts over the credibility of the results and have raised questions about ECSL’s electoral integrity.
As a prominent institution with transparency as one of its cardinal values, the release of all certified and verified district-level election results could help address the mistrust and dispel misinformation surrounding the electoral process and its outcome, as carried out by ECSL.
While awaiting the response from the Electoral Commission, Marrah expressed hope that the request would be met within the timeframe provided by law, further demonstrating the Commission’s commitment to transparency and the democratic principles upheld by Sierra Leone.
In addition to addressing the letter to the Chief Electoral Commissioner, copies have been sent to the Executive Secretary of ECSL and the Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission.