“To ensure democratic stability the rule of law must prevail” – Gambian envoy

The Gambian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Dembo Badjie, has said for Sierra Leone to ensure democratic stability the rule of law must prevail.
Presenting an address over the weekend at the certification of 20 lawyers called to the Bar, the High Commissioner said “during the election period, the slogan in many corners was change, change, change, and now that the political landscape has changed we must understand the accompanying responsibilities for nation building and to ensure democratic stability, a key element is the rule of law.”
He said it was gratifying that the government was leading the advocacy for the rule of law to be prevailed at all times for which he stated that, “the mental attitude and forbearers and a democratic disposition of political menace have a direct bearing and influence on the democratic process”
Quoting from a political scientist Thomas Hobbes who said where there is no love life becomes nasty, brutish and short and he asked: “what is Sierra Leone’s experience of this fact, what lessons learnt from the country’s experiences that will usher in proposals and suggestions for considerations and adoptions of best practices in managing public expectations within the context of the law”
The High Commissioner also stated that the people’s constitutional and legal rights must not be infringed upon as they could lead to the fragility of the democratic order and also the equal protection of the law as fundamental to any just and democratic society.
The legal system, he continued, would be required to adjust to the right expectation of the people and the prevailing circumstances in the country, stating further that the stability of the legal and democratic order “requires the hearing of cases quickly and speedily as failure may resolve in people taking the law into their hands”
“The post election nation building must be seen to embrace not only political change but attitudinal change in which the people will respect the laws and adhere to the implementation of legal decisions and enhance good governance and accountability,” he said.