In a recent development, David Reimer, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, firmly conveyed the United States government’s stance regarding the presidential and general elections held on June 24, 2023.
Speaking to Radio Democracy 98.1 in Freetown, Ambassador Reimer emphasized that the US does not recognize the election results announced by the country’s chief electoral commissioner and outlined the implications for US-funded development programs, including the MCC Compact.
Ambassador Reimer underscored the importance of democratic good governance and free and fair elections as prerequisites for US government funding.
He stated that the credibility of the election results is in question and highlighted the need for an impartial review of the election process.
Notably, he voiced concerns about President Bio’s proposed committee to investigate the elections, stating that it is inappropriate for someone who participated in the elections to lead the review.
In an effort to ensure an unbiased review, Ambassador Reimer called for an independent individual, preferably from outside Sierra Leone and unaffiliated with the major political parties, to lead the review process. He emphasized that the review leader must have no family or ethnic ties to any of the political parties.
Furthermore, Ambassador Reimer made it clear that the US government has not extended congratulations to Julius Maada Bio despite his declaration as the president, reaffirming the US’s position on the matter.
He also urged for political dialogue to resolve the ongoing crisis in Sierra Leone and appealed to the main opposition, All People’s Comgress (APC) to engage in governance rather than boycotting.
However, Ambassador Reimer stipulated that APC representatives should only participate in governance once an independent review mechanism has been established. The terms of reference for this mechanism must guarantee a re-run of the elections if flaws in the election process are identified.
Additionally, the entire leadership of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) should be replaced, and new commissioners should be appointed by an impartial group independent of the Executive branch.
Lastly, Ambassador Reimer suggested that new elections be conducted by an external entity such as the European Union (EU) or African Union (AU), asserting that ECOWAS is not suited for this purpose.