By Africa 24 newsman

Sierra Leoneans both home and abroad have hinted this medium that if the tripartite committee which was setup for electoral reviews failed to address the 2023 general election that was reported by both local and international observations as fraudulent, there will be more tripartite commissions to be set up in future.

They pointed out that the electoral systems review must put mechanism in place to overturn what observer missions described as elections marred with statistical inconsistencies.

Mr Mondeh Sorie Koroma said this is the first time for elections’ results in Sierra Leone announced within three days by ECSL.

He said it announced the winner even though ballot boxes in some districts were yet to come out from ECSL district level offices.

He pointed out that the failure by ECSL to upload the results in their website systems which, he said, also raised serious questions pointing to the credibility of the results.

“My fear is that if government changes in future and other political party uses the same precedent, what will be the future of Sierra Leone?”

“Unless we set up another tripartite commission and it will become another fruitless committee; this sounds so threatening,” he said.

At Calaba Town, a trader Memuna Sarah Harding told this medium that there was no way such a committee would have addressed this electoral theft permanently without digging out truth about the outcome of the 2023 elections.

“Addressing the 2023 elections means putting permanent end to violence during and after elections as well as preventing electoral malpractices,” Harding said.

She said the information he is getting from the public directly points out to seeing a re-run and which should not be overruled.

Many quarters have experienced similar sentiments and so have urged the committee to purely address the 2023 elections other than focusing on electoral system review which will fail.

“People over the years have misused the laws. I think that if such review failed to address the issue of the past June elections, it will kickback again in the future,” she said.

One of the vibrant Lawyers in Sierra Leone has said as we look forward to the forthcoming report from the Electoral Reform Committee, established in the spirit of National Unity Agreement, our nation finds itself enveloped in a cloud of skepticism, polarization, and unease.

While it is imperative for engaged citizens to raise legitimate concerns about the future of our democracy, it is equally crucial to reject any calls or incitements to violence, regardless of the Committee’s recommendations.

It is disheartening to know that misconceptions are circulating among some members of the public, particularly with the notion that the Committee’s primary focus is to trigger a re-run of the 2023 election.

More alarming are the threats of violence should the recommendations not aligning with those expectations of people.

“This will prompt us to ponder how those advocating for a re-run will justify their stance, given the erosion of trust in our political parties and institutions.”

“What does it signify when those who are disillusioned with the system are anticipating a re-run to be facilitated by the very establishment they have mistrust in?

The answers to these questions underscore a prevalent illusion among citizens that a re-run election holds the key to resolving all our problems. However, the reality is far more complex.

“Our nation’s challenges run deeper than the mere act of conducting another election, and failure to acknowledge this has entrenched political instability as a defining feature of our landscape.”

Recent events serve as poignant reminders of the depth of our societal fissures. The manipulation of the Bar Association elections has not only brought our legal fraternity into disrepute but has also highlighted the fragility of our democratic institutions.

Violence erupting from university campuses during campaigns for Student Union elections within various interest groups further underscores that our challenges extend far beyond the scope of the Committee’s mandate.

“Regardless of whatever they recommend, without a collective dedication to fix our rule of law, institutions and respect and protect the rule of law, we will not succeed.”