By Sylvester Samba.
As they await the discussion on the regulations for implementation of the PR system, a group of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), has presented two recommendations for the attention of Parliament and other stakeholders.
According to a press release issued yesterday Tuesday 15th November, 2022, the undersigned CSOs: 50/50 Group; CARL; Christian Aid; Purposeful; IGR; SDI; CGG; Womenโs Forum and NMJD, drew the attention of Parliament and the Electoral Commission to adopt a zipper system in the placement of
Parliamentary candidates on the party list in the PR system.
They noted that, the zipper system requires that in developing a list for every district, parties alternate between women and men on their candidate lists, meaning that 50% of the candidates are women and 50% are men. “We believe that given the deep societal divisions in Sierra Leone, and that women make up more than 50% of the electorate, achieving gender parity in the legislature and local councils is an essential condition for democratic representation and inclusive development…It will also ensure the country meets its domestic and international commitments on promotion of womenโs representation”, the release added.
It further strongly urged Parliament to adopt an 8% threshold for winning an MP seat, as opposed to the 12% utilized in the 2002 elections. โWe call for a lower threshold for two reasons: to make our election as inclusive as possible by ensuring that smaller parties and independent candidates have the chance to win seats; and (b) to increase the chances for every Sierra Leonean vote cast to translate into seats won. A lower threshold will minimise the waste of votes and increase citizensโ confidence and trust in the electoral process. Every vote will make a difference to the election outcome, however small”. They concluded by reiterating their commitment to continue to work with stakeholders in ensuring a free, fair, credible, and acceptable elections as well as increased citizensโ involvement with the process.
The CSOs used the opportunity to welcome the open dialogue on November 1, 2022, initiated by the Select Parliamentary Committee on Political and Public Affairs on Sierra Leoneโs electoral system and the call for greater engagement with citizens on the electoral system.
They said, they appreciate the strong political will demonstrated by both the governing and opposition parties
in passing the 2022 Public Election Act which could increase womenโs representation to minimum of 30% in Parliament and local councils. “We also appreciate the current review in Parliament of the GEWE Bill and hope that this will be passed. Both pieces of legislations hold great promise for the women of Sierra Leone. We believe that with more effort, Sierra Leone could join other progressive countries around the world to achieve 50% representation of women in Parliament and local councils by 2023 and make our politics truly inclusive”, the release maintained.
