Sierra Leone, September 10, 2023 – Activist and lawyer, Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marah has taken a significant step in demanding transparency from the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL).
Marah, known for his unwavering commitment to democratic principles, has urged the ECSL to publish polling station election results from the June 24 General Elections.
In a letter addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Commission and copied to the commissioner, Right to Access Information, Marah expressed his appreciation for the ECSL’s efforts in conducting a relatively peaceful multi-tier election on June 24, 2023.
However, he made it clear that his request for information regarding the election results was not meant to undermine the Commission’s work but to promote sound electoral practices and enhance transparency.
Marah’s letter pointed out that the ECSL’s response to his initial request for information, dated August 30, 2023, fell short of providing complete answers.
He raised concerns about the availability of the compiled district-level ‘signed results,’ which were only uploaded to the Commission’s website on August 29, 2023, a day before receiving the response letter.
Consequently, Marah’s letter requested additional information, invoking the Right to Access Information Act 2013. He sought clarification on whether the Commission possessed Results and Reconciliation Forms for all 11,712 polling stations across all sixteen electoral districts, which were the basis for the Presidential election results declared on June 27, 2023. Additionally, Marah inquired about the Results and Reconciliation Forms for the Parliamentary and Local Council elections results declared or published on July 1, 2023.
The letter concluded with a reminder of the Commission’s commitment, as expressed in their statement on June 24, 2023, to publish the requested data on their website.
Marah expressed hope that the Commission would comply with his request for transparency in Sierra Leone’s electoral process.
Augustine S. Marrah’s unwavering dedication to democratic values continues to drive his advocacy for accountability and transparency in Sierra Leone’s electoral system, setting an example for the nation’s political future.
