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The elections of 2012: a seminal test for the new name of APC and the National Elections Commission!

recent statement by President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma at the opening of the NEC headquarters building that elections are not a matter of life or death, but a healthy competition can be a sign of safety that violence and intimidation modus operandi of the APC is no longer ancient fashioned and should not be tolerated in our current political administration. But, for readers of my generation are still very vivid memories of the sham elections conducted by the CPA, which as a direct result of the devastating civil war, the jury is still out on this proposition as the registration of the APC says it all.

Following the recent visit of a delegation of United Nations Peace Building Commission in Sierra Leone, it is worth noting that the greatest small-term risk to the consolidation of peace in the country is being the administration and conduct of the upcoming 2012 parliamentary and presidential elections.

So, in this regard, the Commission and the attention of the international community in general and the focus should be placed squarely on the institutions of electoral administration – the NEC and the PPRC – to ensure coordination and implementation of measures and standards to mitigate and prevent age-ancient question of electoral violence and political intimidation.

Since the end of civil war in 2002, the success of the 2007 elections has been considered as representing some progress in building peace, while the behavior of some post-2007- notoriously elections revealed the fragility of the political landscape potential. But, these advances can not be considered irreversible in the light of the increasing polarization of the body politic along ethnic, witnessed in all regions of the country, especially since the 2007 elections.

APC REGISTRATION

Historically, the record of the APC party, while in the government to organize free and honest elections in Sierra Leone has been dismal, as shown by the sham and undemocratic, bullying and violence fueled republican referendum 1971, 1973, 1978 and 1983 in the one-party election was Siaka Stevens and the subsequent elections in the era Momoh.

The party has shown tremendous tenacity, but, while in opposition, and benefited from the crucial relatively free and honest elections organized by rival SLPP, as in 1967 and most recently in 2007. These achievements and electoral victories are seen largely as a reaction by the electorate to the failures of the then SLPP government and not necessarily because of the new enlightened policies, ideological or managing the development of models articulated or implemented by the APC.

Indeed, as is the case with most political parties in Africa, the absence of a political culture with real ideologies and political programs of alternative government, has made both the APC and SLPP and indeed less than the political parties into mere vehicles and drivers for the party hacks who try to pursue only their own selfish interests by participating in elections. Despite having been on the two occasions in 1967 and 2007, the nearly impossible feat in African politics – a successful opposition party won democratic elections – an innate dread mentality site, caused in the past by the cruelty of a system APC designed to maintain a democratic status, the corrupt and non-progressive state, seems to have been raised on. post-2007 era of elections

The post 2007 elections violence incidents during the elections of dhimmi, Tongo Fields, Bo and the attack against the headquarters of the opposition SLPP in Freetown all portend a return mixed call to violence during the administration of elections, Siaka Stevens APC. Apparent aversion to the APC party to carry out violence and intimidation-free and democratic elections has not decreased and therefore should be monitored closely by all interested in democracy in Sierra Leone, as the election cycle of 2012 is gradually coming to the nation.

In 2007, the people of Sierra Leone in its collective outrage against the inertia and lethargy lasting development of the government of Tejan Kabbah led SLPP, was imbued with what is a leader in Sierra Leone, political commentator retrospect now describes as “a momentary collective amnesia,” the results of which brought to power a new APC leadership with President Ernest Koroma.

The commentator also requested anonymity said that “people seem to have but granted political power in a game that despite his checkered history of undemocratic trends over decades as corruption, nepotism, tribalism, underdevelopment, and brutality that result directly in a 10-year civil war and fratricide had opportunistic nefariously convinced a majority of the electorate that had turned into a groundbreaking new APC News. ”

The rebranding of the party under a new and younger leadership incorrect signal to voters that perhaps the abuses and excesses of over 20 years of rule by APC in the mid-1960 to 1992, when the military dictatorship ousted from power, may have resulted in lessons learned on this occasion. But unfortunately, the new breed of politicians have proven APC or the new visionary leaders nor, as the current series of public corruption, political intimidation, nepotism, and regionalism and the continuation of the same ancient policies and not are carried out.

SEMINAL TEST NEC / PPRC LEADERSHIP:

But, to ensure that such public presidential statements are translated into policy outcomes on the eve of elections 2012, the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) should immediately be proactive and Institute regulations designed to change the outdated methods rooted political party campaign.

First, the CNE should prohibit the practice of political party meetings in public, both from the perspective of public safety and its irrelevance in the practices of modern election campaigns. Specifically, the practice of the crowds of party supporters parading through the streets of major cities and towns, dancing and taunting his opponents with incendiary songs should be banned and relegated to the dustbin of political history. For an objective analysis of this practice has shown that its real purpose was only to serve as the fuse that leads to violence during elections. There really is not refundable electoral value for such public processions and shows, which frankly very few if any people are influenced by deciding which party or candidate to vote in elections.

Second, the meetings of political parties should be mandated and encouraged to be held in closed spaces such as stadiums, barrays court, city centers and halls and members of fact dispersed peacefully after these meetings.

Third, the proliferation of community radio stations throughout the country, the dictates of party policy independent of government and provides a media platform and vehicle for the campaign. The institutions of the administration of elections, therefore, encourage a change in the streets of the radio stations where you can local constituency and national issues addressed and communicated to the voters.

Fourthly, it is estimated that a penetration rate of one hundred eighty of mobile phones among the electorate, the 2012 election is to mark the beginning of the first digital elections in Sierra Leone. Political analysts predict that the proliferation of Facebook (FB) between Sierra Leoneans at home and in diaspora political parties allows a vehicle to connect with the overwhelmingly young population.

In conclusion, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Munu and the National Election Commissioner, Dr. Christina Thorpe are encouraged to participate in the various political parties and implement the necessary regulations, both standpoint of public safety and best practices to ensure election ban on public processions politicians in Sierra Leone. My observations and experiences during the last elections in 2007, where mobs of young people in the service of political parties constantly used the occasion of political meetings to ruin property and violence against political opponents, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol have only served to reinforce the need for policies to prohibit public processions.