Chernor Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, has issued a firm response to comments made by US Ambassador David Reimer regarding the recent Multitier election held in June 2023.
Speaking on the popular radio station 98.1, Minister Bah emphasized the importance of a collaborative partnership with the US Government, one that prioritizes the strengthening of democratic institutions rather than undermining them.
Minister Bah underlined the existing relationship between Sierra Leone and the United States, built on principles of mutual respect, civil liberties, and democratic progress.
“We have a partnership with the US Government that understands the need to strengthen our own democratic institutions and not to undermine them,” he said.
The minister assured the public that constructive discussions would continue as part of the ongoing compact process between the two nations.
This statement follows a notable incident involving Radio Democracy 98.1. The station encountered a temporary disruption during its Wednesday morning broadcast, precisely as it was scheduled to air a pre-recorded interview featuring US Ambassador David Reimer. Allegations emerged that Minister Bah had intervened and prevented the interview from being broadcasted.
The leaked segment of the interview, which has been authenticated by the US Embassy, sheds light on Ambassador Reimer’s concerns over the credibility and integrity of the election results declared by Sierra Leone’s Electoral Commission (ECSL) for the contested June 24 vote.
Ambassador Reimer drew attention to significant divergences between the ECSL’s official outcomes and parallel vote tabulations, as well as discrepancies flagged by both domestic and international election monitors.
Ambassador Reimer’s remarks emphasized the doubts cast upon the legitimacy of the election results due to these discrepancies.
Prior to this, international observers had already pointed out statistical irregularities and raised criticisms about transparency during the ballot counting phase.
A national observation group further highlighted noteworthy variations in reported voter outcomes for the presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections.
As Sierra Leone’s government responds to these concerns, the nation’s commitment to democratic progress remains in the spotlight.
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