By: Amara Thoronka > Following the end of a three-day dialogue between the Government of Sierra Leone and the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC), on the June 24th elections related issues, the APC, which had previously refused to participate in all levels of governance citing issues with the said elections, has now agreed to participate in governance.
It could be recalled that the APC had asked its elected members of parliament together with elected mayors, chairpersons and councillors of local councils not to assume their seats until certain demands are met. The non-participation in governance decision of the APC resulted in a range of political back and forth issues between the Party and the Government.
After many not-very-successful attempts by the interfaith body – the Inter Religious Council; and the country’s permanent peace infrastructure – the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC); and other stakeholders to resolve the post-election issues between the two sides, the ICPNC invited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), The African Union (AU) and the Commonwealth of Nations to jointly facilitate a mediation or dialogue to resolve the worrying concerns.
After the three-day mediated dialogue, resolutions were reached by both sides of the dialogue – the Government of Sierra Leone and the All People’s Congress.
In the communiqué published by the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC), on the said resolutions, the President is to make a national address on dialogue, unity, and peace.
“The APC will end its non-participation in governance,” the communiqué disclosed, adding that the President, in consultation with the APC, will constitute a cross-party committee on electoral system and leadership bodies’ review.
It is also agreed that any persons arrested, detained, or imprisoned for alleged election or civil protest be released with a list to be submitted by the APC and considered by the Government of Sierra Leone.
The communiqué cited the “Discontinuation of any politically motivated court cases against the APC, other parties, and their supporters based on a list to be submitted by the APC and other parties and considered by the government of Sierra Leone.”
Both sides of the dialogue agreed to support the resettlement of any political party supporters internally and externally displaced due to political intimidation, attacks and harassment based on a list to be submitted by the APC and other parties and considered by the Government of Sierra Leone.
It is further agreed that, upon assumption of their governance positions, all elected APC officials, members of parliament, mayors, chairpersons andcouncillors will have the issue of entitlement addressed accordingly by the appropriate institutions.
The agreement stated that Parliament is to address any issue as it relates to leadership, composition of committee and representation in international parliament on behalf of APC and that the composition of representation in international parliaments must reflect APC share in accordance with the Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Both parties agreed to the institutionalization of an inter-party dialogue framework between the APC, SLPP and other political parties. This will be facilitated by the government.
The parties also committed to re-engineer and rekindle the relationship between the national, socio-political ecosystem such as between His Excellency, the President and former political leaders, former presidents and vice presidents, the APC and SLPP leadership, among others.
As part of the agreement, culled from the 3-day dialogue, the Government of Sierra Leone and the APC party “strictly condemn all citizens, at home and abroad, who incite violence, spread hate speech and disrupt national cohesion (online and offline) and that Government will continue all efforts to bring those involved to justice.”
On the implementation of the agreement, the Government of Sierra Leone and the APC party are to establish a Committee of Moral Guarantors which will support and monitor the implementation of the agreement.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times Week end Newspaper on Friday 20th October, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
