Abdul Rashid Thomas<\/b><\/p>\n
Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. <\/strong><\/span>Sierra Leone has become a de-facto One Party State, after the country\u2019s main opposition APC refused to accept the results of elections announced by the Electoral Commission last month.<\/p>\n The APC party says the results were rigged, and they will not be taking part in any level of governance involving the ruling SLPP party, including the boycotting of parliament, until all polling stations Reconciliation Forms are published by the Electoral Commission.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Western countries have refused to accept the election results, and by extension \u2013 the legitimacy of president Bio\u2019s second term in office remains in doubt.<\/p>\n As the political crisis deepens, with huge consequences for the economy and peace and stability of the country, the Inter-Religious Council has decided to open dialogue between the ruling SLPP and the main opposition APC.<\/p>\n But trust is in short supply. Throughout the election process which was seriously marred by violence, intimidation and abuse of power by the authorities, the country\u2019s faith leaders remained quiet, prompting accusations of bribery and corruption.<\/p>\n Yesterday, the opposition APC leader \u2013 Dr Samura Mathew Kamara accused religious leaders of keeping quiet in the face of human rights abuses and violation of electoral laws by the government and Electoral Commission.<\/p>\n \u201cMy Fellow Sierra Leoneans, as you all are aware, we are currently in an extremely challenging post-election environment, marred with expressions of disappointment, anger, grief, and seeming hopelessness.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing that your votes were not counted and the fact that your electoral commission could not account for your ballots, many of you are questioning the efficacy of elections and by extension, democracy.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the face of such deliberate institutional failure and daylight fraud, others, including some \u201cMen of God\u201d, are busy running around, desperately preaching Peace. I am compelled to state that many of these \u201cMen and Women\u201d know the Truth; it is just that they are not bold enough to speak the truth where they should.<\/p>\n \u201cMay the Fear of God resurrect and prevail in their hearts as well as in those architects of such unprecedented electoral fraud. Meanwhile, let us, as good citizens continue to hold on to expectations of Peace, Justice and Truth, sooner rather than later. God bless the Republic of Sierra Leone,\u201d Dr Samura said in a Tweet yesterday.<\/p>\n Sierra Leone is once again at a cross-road, with the Electoral Commission refusing to meet the demands of the international community and opposition parties, following orders from the ruling SLPP party not to revisit the rigged election results announced last month.<\/p>\n Former Attorney General and senior member of the APC party \u2013 Joseph F Kamara (Photo), said: \u201cThe need for a justice redress mechanism in the face of brazen electoral malpractice cannot be underscored or shrugged off under the carpet. Voting has become meaningless and leaders not accountable to the people. Surely it will result in a Govt of kakistocracy. Impunity must end.\u201d<\/p>\n For More News And Analysis About Sierra-Leone<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Abdul Rashid Thomas Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Sierra Leone has become a de-facto One Party State, after the country\u2019s main opposition APC refused to accept the results of elections announced by the Electoral Commission last month. The APC party says the results were rigged, and they will not be taking part in any level of governance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":20206,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[291,293,292],"class_list":["post-20207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-sierra-leone","tag-sierra-leone"],"yoast_head":"\n