The Sierra Leone Police has announced a ban on all masquerades, called ‘debul’ in local parlance, especially the political ones like “Arie Wuteteh of the SLPP and “Back to Civili Rule” and “Matorma” of the APC until after the elections.
Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, Richard Moigbe, talked about the politicization of these masquerades which had been leading to violence each time their paths crossed. Many political pundits have praised this move by the police at a time when many youth, women and advocacy groups are appealing to politicians and their supporters to make sure that the August 11 polls are conducted in a violence-free atmosphere