As a way of ensuring political parties compliance with the Political Party Code of Conduct agreed upon and signed by registered political parties in October 2006, the Political Party Registration Commission has sworn in a-seventeen man District Political Party Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee in Kono, with representative of United Democratic Movement (UDM) conspicuously absent. Members of the Committee were drawn from civil society, the media, NEC, registered political parties at the time such as APC, SLPP, PMDC, and NDA.
According to Robert Paine, PPRC Programme Coordinator for Kono, the UDM is not included because it was not registered as a political party in 2006 when the Political Party Code of Conduct was agreed on and signed.
Mr. Spaine however maintained that inasmuch as the UDM was not a signatory of the 2006 code of conduct and has no representation on the District Monitoring Committee, it is bound by the code and is expected to comply with the code of conduct.
Foday Ishmael Kargbo, Chairman of the UDM in Kono, has however raised concern over the non representation of his party in the Committee, but according to Mr. Paine, this concern would be discussed at the PPRC head office in Freetown with other stakeholders.
By Jon-bu
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