Samura Kamara Calls for Electoral Justice on Anniversary of National Unity Agreement

Freetown, Sierra Leone – On the first anniversary of the Agreement for National Unity, Samura Kamara, former leader and flagbearer of the main opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC), has taken to social media to reflect on the state of the nation and call for electoral justice.

In a post that resonated across the political landscape, Kamara reiterated his party’s stance on the contentious June 24, 2023, elections, which sparked widespread protests.

“Fellow Sierra Leoneans,” he began, “as we recognize the first anniversary of the signing of the Agreement for National Unity, following the internationally mediated cross-party dialogue between the APC and the SLPP government, let us with sincerity and a deep sense of justice remind ourselves that this effort was born out of a ‘deeply flawed’ multi-tier election.”

Kamara emphasized that the election results, which he and the APC leadership had rejected, remain contested.

“This position still remains and is sustained by the continuing lack of supporting disaggregated polling station data by ECSL,” Kamara asserted, referencing the country’s electoral commission.

One year after the signing of the peace agreement, Kamara painted a sobering picture of Sierra Leone’s current challenges. “Sierra Leone remains at a critical knife edge. We are saddled with a fight for electoral justice while also suffering from an unprecedented economic slowdown, unabated social hardship, and deepening poverty levels across the country,” he said.

He urged the nation to reflect on the significance of the Agreement for National Unity, which he described as an attempt to correct the “pivotal wrongs” of the 2023 elections, while also addressing irregularities in past electoral cycles.

“In the Agreement, we must congratulate ourselves for drawing up monumental pathways, which, if fully and rationally followed, will make Sierra Leone a pace-setter in resolving a potentially tense and lethal political conflict without a ‘drop of blood,'” Kamara wrote.

Kamara also emphasized the need for comprehensive reform. “A determined and unbiased pursuit of Electoral Justice, Social Justice, and Economic Justice while strictly abiding by the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and good governance is critical in rebuilding public trust and confidence,” he added.

As the country continues to grapple with its political and economic challenges, Kamara urged leaders to prioritize the will of the people.

“Sierra Leone cannot afford another self-inflicted destructive stigma unless we demonstrate a clear conviction to respect and take the will of the people to a credible, logical, nationally and internationally acceptable end,” he concluded.

Kamara’s message comes at a time of heightened tension in Sierra Leone, as the nation looks toward resolving its deep-rooted political divisions and restoring public confidence.