The name Mohamed Kenewui Konneh is a household name in the political landscape of Sierra Leone as he is whistle blower about to change the mode of the game.
The National Returning Officer of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone is now holding the peace of ‘Mama salone’ with his bare hands like an egg and, it is now left with him to handle it meticulously or drop it on the bare ground therefore leading to political and civil unrest. Mohamed Kenewui Konneh should be mindful and take into consideration that elections in Sierra Leone are not child’s play where they hide and seek or play Koo-koo, but a do or die activity where so many meaningful lives have been lost as a result of electoral malpractise and fraud. Despite having gone through parliamentary vetting after President Bio appointed him to be Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh has fought tooth and nail to distance himself from party politics. And rumors gathered by this medium have distinguished Mr. Konneh as an unflinching member of the ruling party and a loyalist to the incumbent President Maada Bio.
It could be recalled that during his appointment, battery of opposition politicians as well as Members of Parliament doubted the integrity of Mr. Konneh whom they bluntly said was actively involved in SLPP party politics during his academic days at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, adding that he was then Student Union Leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (FBC Chapter) so therefore, the outcome of the polls will never be credible, transparent, free and fair?
Some concerned Sierra Leoneans are having numerous doubts over the outcome of the June 24th polls which they perceive will be marred with rigging and electoral fraud on the sides of the ruling party because they believe that President Bio is bent on ruling the nation for two terms, though not conventional. According to these concerned citizens, an independent body or person should appoint the Electoral Commissioner in order to restore faith and trust on the sides of the opposition parties and to see and experience credible, transparent free and fair elections results. They continued that the ruling party and incumbent President Maada Bio should lead by examples for generation yet unborn to set the records straight.
Another faction of civil society activists are having doubt on the integrity of Mohamed Kenewui Konneh and the outcome of the June 24th polls while pinpointing to the fact that the ECSL Boss is a subordinate to the current Head of State while the former being his subject. This group of CSOs has called on the government to expunge that particular clause enshrined in the country’s 1991 Constitution for Presidents to appoint the head of the country’s national electoral regulatory body so that elections will be free from errors and fraud and no political will not cry foul.
Eventhough political parties are crying foul play five weeks and two days towards the big day, Mr. Konneh has given deaf ears and turned blind eyes to the series of objection raised by the All People’s Congress Party, National Secretary General and has told this medium via mobile phone interview that the elections will hold on the stipulated day and nothing will deter the ECSL from not conducting the polls on that day.