The Chief Electoral Commissioner of Sierra Leone, Mohamed Konneh has announced he will not seek a second term, citing family reasons.
This decision comes a year after he successfully managed the country’s multi-tier elections. The announcement was made during a two-day citizen’s dialogue session focused on strengthening democracy and promoting inclusivity. The event, organized by the National Council for Civic Education (NaCCED) and the National Commission for Democracy (NCD), took place at the Atlantic Hotel in Freetown.
Reflecting on the multi-tier election held on June 24, 2023, Konneh expressed confidence in the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
He highlighted his commitment to maintaining an open-door policy, which allowed the public to engage directly with his office on electoral matters.
Despite facing criticism from the All People’s Congress (APC) party regarding the introduction of the proportional representation (PR) system in the 2023 election, Konneh stood by the decision. He argued that, if implemented with a minimum threshold, the PR system could help bridge divisions and reduce politicization in Sierra Leone.
Addressing political parties, Konneh urged them to focus on their commitment and strategies to win elections rather than criticizing the Electoral Commission.
“Political parties should focus on politics and forget about the electoral commission if they want to win an election. It is a question of how committed you are to winning an election,” he stated.
