Electioneering process in any democratic setting, include the enjoyment of those rights that will elicit the full participation of individuals in determining the political life of his/her country. An election is a decision making process through which eligible citizens freely and soberly choose others through the ballot box to hold public offices for a specified term. People vote with the expectation that the office holder would represent their communities and or countries best interest.
Elections are generally viewed as a central feature of human rights and democratic governance. Elections are also a testimony to peoples’ sovereignty that ought to be respected by all flag bearers, party officials and supporters of all registered political parties. Elections generally serve three essential roles: provide an avenue for the peaceful resolution of competition for political power, confers legitimacy upon office holders who are elected through majority vote and provide an effective avenue for citizens to express their free will and hence participate in the governance of their country. From all indications, election is not a moment for “guerrilla warfare” but expression of the will of people entitled to vote. Elections are conducted for electorates to freely express their will through the ballot box on who should be their leader.
To all unpatriotic, greedy, selfish and thoughtless politicians it is high time you got a paradigm shift from the evil thought of guerrilla warfare and fraud as the only ways to win general elections and embrace the “attitudinal and behavioural change” for a peaceful, fraud free and nonviolence November, 2012 elections.
Precious readers let’s collectively plead with our politicians for them to reject all forms of elections related violence and fraud and say, “Yes we accept the general will of the people.”
Access to power and its exercise should be done in accordance with the rule of law
Precious readers, it is my humble submission that attaining, retaining or accessing power and its exercise should be done in accordance with the rule of law. All aspirants, party officials and supporters must endeavour to abide by the electoral laws governing the November, 17th 2012 elections. The holding of periodic free and fair elections by universal suffrage and secret ballots are the principles of good governance, rule of law, democracy and human rights. It is the popular will of the people to choose who they want to lead them should be observed and respected by all presidential aspirants, party officials and supporters of all registered political parties. The conducts of credible and participatory elections are being referred to as the celebration of civil and political rights. As electorates, we must be aware of the fact that the act of electing quality representative is an expression of our human rights and the will in trying to influence public policy and constructively contributing to participatory democracy, a foundation stone to good governance.
My precious readers may I submit to you with all humility and respect, that the right to vote and be voted for is a legitimate right that can be exercised at will, but not a right that one has to be coerce/pressurise to exercise. It does not matter whether you are my father, mother, husband, wife, uncle, aunty or guardian; one must not be forced to cast his/her vote in the interest of any other person(s). It is absolutely wrong for one to influence the vote of another negatively. That is why it is deliberate that the world all over practices secret voting as the most democratic way of choosing a leader. Electorates exercise their rights to vote and be voted for as prescribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991.
The ability to conduct free, fair, participatory and credible elections is at the core of what it means to call a society democratic
The test of a free, fair, credible and participatory electoral process depends on the degree to which it satisfies some guiding principles such as: Independence, professionalism, transparency, integrity, accuracy, accountability and non-partisanship. May I speak to two specific Electoral management Bodies (EMBs), the National Electoral Commission (NEC), which by law is in charge of conducting and implementing all phases of the electoral process and the Political Party Registration Commission (PPRC), in charge of supervising political parties’ activities. NEC, everybody including the international community is watching and interested to see the free expression of the will of all registered voters in Sierra Leone come November, 2012 elections.
You have to live up to the expectation of the general public by adhering to the above guiding principles. You must try by all possible means to weed out any staff member who might want to yield to the pressure of unpatriotic politician(s) whose aim is to use election fraud to win the November, 17th 2012 elections. On no account this credible institution should degenerate to a level of manipulating the results in favour of one political party or be concerned with who wins or loses. NEC must use the human rights based approach in all phases of the electioneering process and be accurate in explaining electoral laws. NEC should encourage potential voters and all registered political parties to be interested and fully participate peacefully in accordance with the electoral ethics in all phases of the electioneering process. PPRC should ensure that they create a level playing field on which candidates and all registered political parties may compete freely and fairly.
“Respect and Observance of multiparty elections allow peoples and communities to fully develop”
Precious readers, it is my opinion that the respect and observance of multiparty elections are positive steps towards building democracy and allowing peoples and communities to fully develop. One of the major characteristics of multiparty elections is that it presents alternatives, which enables a choice to be made by electors between one set of leaders and another. But generally, elections provide a forum for holding politicians accountable for their policies and actions. These legititimise the will of the people and ensure that elections act as an agent of social communication. It is my view that without a transparent, credible, participatory and legally recognized and effective governing political authority, there would be economic and social disorder which will breed underdevelopment in society.
Precious readers, at this juncture, it is but important for us all to know and understand three main components in the electoral process:
1. The common elements of electoral laws and procedures
The common elements of electoral laws and procedures are:
Respect for human rights
Public information and voter education
Observation and verification
Legal authority and structure
Constituency delimitation
Nomination, parties and candidates
2. The basic standard regarding elections
The basic standard regarding elections are:
Non-discrimination
Self determination
Political participation
3. The essential elements of democracy:
The essential elements of democracy are:
Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
Freedom of association
Freedom of expression and opinion
Access to power and its exercise in accordance with the rule of law
The holding of periodic free and fair elections by universal suffrage and by secret ballot as the expression of the will of the people
A pluralistic system of political parties and organizations
Transparency and accountability in public administration
Free, independent and pluralistic media.
I personally advice all registered political parties to endeavor to educate their supporters on the above and encourage them (eligible voters) to go out in their numbers to register to cast their vote come November. A proper understanding of these elements can help us participate peacefully and create a mentality that will resist all forms of elections violence and fraud.
Precious readers kindly unite your faith with me as i offer this prayer. Almighty Father, the maker of leader(s), I call upon your name to kindly go into the realms of the spirit and the physical to destroy all evil plans of any political party that might want to use elections violence and fraud as an option to attain power or to retain power. I prophesize by the spirit of prophesy that this elections (November, 2012) shall be the best ever in the history of Sierra Leone, so help us God.
Long live patriotic Sierra Leoneans!
Long live the blessed land that we love “Mama Salone”!
By Bankole Clifford Ekundayo Morgan, Human Rights Advocate