By- Audrey Raymonda John

In a bid to ensure that free, fair, transparent and credible elections are conducted ahead of June 24th, 2023, polls, the Chief Election Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission to Sierra Leone (EU-EOM) Evin Incir  during an open press conference held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Aberdeen, West of Freetown yesterday 23rd May,2023 has said that they will be deploying twenty eight long term observers to cover all sixteen districts in Sierra Leone

Addressing pressmen and other C ivil Society Organizations, Evin Incir said members of the European Parliament started its activities in Freetown on the 11th May with the arrival of a core team of ten election experts.

Speaking on the twenty eight long term observers, Evin Incir said they will observe the elections preparation, the election campaigns and the activities of electoral stakeholders, adding that closer to the day of election another forty short term observers will join the European Union ( EU) Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the voting, counting and the tabulation of the results.

In addition to that, she made it clear that a delegation of members of the European Parliament and approximately ten locally recruited short term observers from diplomatic mission of EU member state accredited to Sierra Leone will join the EU Election Observation Mission to observe the Election Day proceedings.

Speaking further, the Chief Observer said at a full strength the EU EOM will comprise some one hundred observers drawn from twenty six European Union Member states including Canada and Norway.

“Our aim in Sierra Leone is to support democratic consolidation. It is a joint responsibility of all political parties, candidates, civil society organization s, media, and the electoral administration to maintain a peaceful pre- election environment in which fundamental rights and freedoms of all Sierra Leoneans are respected,” she stated.

In continuation, the EU Chief Election Observer revealed that the EU EOM will issue a preliminary statement and hold a two days press conference in Freetown after the elections.  She said the mission will remain in Sierra Leone until the completion of the electoral process, including in case of a second round of the presidential election.

Evin Incir opined that the mission will also follow any potential complaints and appeal process and the final report offering recommendations for future electoral processes will be presented thereafter.

She concluded by saying that the EU EOM is bound by a code of conduct, which requires strict neutrally and non-interference and will undertakes its works in accordance with the declaration of principles for International Election Observation endorsed under UN auspices in 2005.

Dilating on social media involvement, Evin Incir said the team will be made up of special people who will handle and deliver messages of election processes.