By Alpha Rashid Jalloh,Freetown.
Justice Sidney Warne, the newly appointed Commissioner of the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) in Sierra Leone has said that voters need to know the electoral rules and to follow them.
Speaking during a six -day workshop recently held at Kimbima Hotel west of the capital Freetown , on training of trainers, he said in order to achieve effective voter education , trainers should educate the masses.
He said as the election was now so close, there was the need to train trainers who could in turn pass on the training to others in the various communities, sensitize them on the need for a free and fair elections and the observance of the rules and regulations governing them “in order to have a level playing field”.
Warne decalred: “There are rumours doing the rounds and letters received from political parties of threats and intimidation.There is therefore the need to show the people that elections should be free and fair and there should be no intimidation by any political party or supporters”.
He went on: “All these things happen because of ignorance, hence the need for political parties to sensitize the public”, he said.
Justic Warne said the PPRC would also embark on a sensitisation drive through the radio, through meetings and public gatherings with public address systems so as to explain what the process was all about and how people should conduct themselves during campaigning and election. The National Electoral Commission and the UN have solicited the help of a Technical Adviser from Zimbabwe in south of Africa, to help in the training of voter educators.
Deputy PPRC Commissioner Roland A. Ceasar said the essence of the workshop was to teach the participants various skills including communication, mediation and negotiation methods in solving conflicts adding that participants were expected after the training to impart the knowledge gained to their communities so as to enhance free and fair elections.
Presidential and parliamentary elections have been scheduled for July 18 this year. The chairperson for the National Electoral commission is Miss Christiana Thorpe(photo), a former nun who many people hope would be fair in her dealings.
In 1996 James Jonah, a former UN employee chaired the commission and the elections were marred with rigging in Bo District where five boxes were tampered with. After the elections, contrary to provisions of the constitution, he was given a cabinet appointment and later dumped.
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