Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – With support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), major forces in Sierra Leone have on Monday 13th March 2023, benefitted from four days of training on election security and violence.
The training sessions took place at the Makeni Council Hall, in the North East Region of the country. A total number of 100 participants were drawn from Bombali, Tonkolili, Koinadugu, and Falaba districts.
The four (4) days of training focused on what is expected of security personnel before, during, and after the country’s general elections.
Some of the topics covered during the training sessions include the national security architecture, the roles, and responsibilities of the security institutions and their personnel regarding election processes, election history and processes in Sierra Leone, electoral offenses and redress, and military aid to civil authority (MACA).
Topics such as ethics and ethos/professionalism, Human Rights and Elections Security, the role of the security committee, and gender and election security were also covered.
Local Unit Commander (LUC), Makeni Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) John Faayia Tumbay, said that the training was timely, noting that the country’s general election is drawing near. He described the support from international partners as substantial.
ACP Tumbay urged the participants to be attentive and to treat the training with the seriousness it deserves, adding that the training serves as authorship of guidelines in the discharge of their lawful duties, especially during the electioneering period in Sierra Leone.
Chief of Staff, Office of National Security (ONS) Francis Languba Kellie informed participants that the training was initiated to bring on board all primary security sectors personnel such as the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), Sierra Leone Correctional Services (SLCS), National Fire Force (NFF) and CISA.
Kellie referred to the forces as State Actors, hence, the need to train them on how to appropriately respond to election-related issues with Proportionality, legality, accountability, and necessity. He urged personnel to cascade the knowledge acquired to their colleagues.
Tutorial presentations were done by eight (8) facilitators. On the third and final day of the training sessions, participants were confronted with exercises.
Three (3) different training manuals were also given to each participant to serve as reference materials that will continue to aid their knowledge and they will be able to pass it on to their colleagues during parades. SKS/17/3/2023