By- Aruna Rashed Toma Bangura
The Minister of Social Welfare, Madam Baindu Dassama has drawn the attention of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone and Parliament that 1,200 enfranchised citizens could be disenfranchised because the date slated for the upcoming three-tier elections which is June 24th, 2023 has coincided with the same date that has been announced by the Authorities in Saudi Arabia for the Holy Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Medina.
According to the Minister of Social Welfare, the Authorities in Mecca have assigned to Sierra Leone a quota of 1,200 pilgrims which she said is possible to be performed by the prospective pilgrims who are set for this year’s Pilgrimage to the Holy place of Mecca.
She said if nothing is done to address the current issue 1,200 potential pilgrims will not vote in the forthcoming three-tier elections.
However in their response in a press release on Tuesday 31st January, the Leadership of Registered Political Parties have urged the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone to commence the drafting of Regulations that will ensure that Sierra Leoneans performing the Hajj Pilgrimage in Mecca to cast their votes in the general elections via proxy.
The Director of Operations for ECSL, Mohamed Turay has told the Leadership of Registered Political Parties that, the ECSL has not set aside provisions in the extant Regulations for early voting, adding that the only option left is proxy voting which he said the Regulation have to be tabled in Parliament for promulgation.