The Tripartite Committee, established in the wake of Sierra Leone’s contentious 2023 elections, is under fire for its perceived inefficacy and lack of transparency.
Created to scrutinize election results, certification processes, observer reports, and the Public Elections Act of 2022, the committee emerged from a communiqué signed by the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC), in October last year. This agreement followed mediation by international bodies, including the Commonwealth, African Union, and ECOWAS.
The United States contributed $1.5 million to support the committee’s operations. However, questions have arisen about whether these funds are being effectively utilized, given the committee's apparent lack of progress and transparency.
Criticism has been directed at the APC for misleading its supporters into believing that the committee might call for a rerun of the June 2023 elections.
This belief is unfounded, as the
committee does not have the authority to annul elections; only the Supreme
Court holds that power. Furthermore, the APC missed the deadline to contest the
election results in court.
The committee's transparency issues have also been a major point of contention. Media representatives have been excluded from its deliberations. Initially, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) was supposed to be part of the committee, but the opposition APC objected, and the ruling SLPP supported their exclusion.
This decision has resulted in a lack of real-time updates on the committee's activities, fostering public suspicion and the perception that the committee operates in secrecy. The exclusion of the media and the opaque nature of the committee's proceedings have left the public largely uninformed about its work.
This secrecy undermines the committee's credibility and raises doubts about its commitment to upholding democratic principles and transparency in Sierra Leone.
As the Tripartite Committee concludes its work, it faces significant challenges in addressing these criticisms to restore public trust. Ensuring greater transparency and clearly communicating its mandate and progress are essential steps.
Without these changes, the committee
risks being perceived as a costly and ineffective endeavor, failing to
contribute meaningfully to Sierra Leone’s democratic process and ultimately
being regarded as a waste of time, energy, and resources.