By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara
The Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat hosted a vital stakeholders’ meeting at the Youth in Action for Development conference hall in Kenema to address the 80 recommendations from the Tripartite Committee, on Friday, June 27, 2025, the gathering included participants from Kono, Kailahun, and Kenema districts.
Minister of State for the East and Chairman of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party in Kailahun, Jusu Jaka Ngobeh, opened with praise for the Secretariat’s timely initiative to review the TRC Report recommendations. As President Julius Maada Bio’s representative, he advocated retaining the Proportional Representation (PR) system over the First Past the Post (FPTP) system, citing reduced financial strain on government and donors, and lower political tension during elections.
National Coordinator Ngolo Katta highlighted recommendation 78, calling for a national dialogue on electoral systems for parliament and local councils, weighing PR against FPTP. He outlined the Committee’s mandates: coordinating the 80 TRC recommendations, tracking progress, raising awareness, facilitating implementation, mobilizing resources, advising Electoral Management Bodies, providing strategic guidance, and reporting to the Steering Committee. He stressed integrity, impartiality, equality, transparency, and accountability as core commitments, urging representatives to engage their communities for a fair process.
Lead facilitator Valnora Edwin presented the recommendations, sparking discussions. Kenema District Civil Society Chairman Patrick Adu endorsed PR for its inclusivity, arguing it ensures a representative legislature, avoids FPTP anomalies, and stabilizes divided societies by including minorities. He noted PR minimizes “seat bonuses” for large parties, reduces wasted votes, and encourages broader campaigning, enhancing voter confidence. However, opinions diverged, with some favoring FPTP, as representatives from civil society, political parties, the Electoral Commission, chiefs, and media debated the merits.
Credit – Tripartite Comms
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 30th June, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
