At a well-attended special government press conference organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education at Brookfields Hotel on Tuesday, February 6th, the Terms of Reference of the Tripartite Committee was signed by all parties and witnesses. The occasion which was graced by dignitaries including the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, the British High Commissioner, the European Union head of Mission and many others was beamed to a global audience by the MOICE’s Facebook platform and other outlets.
The hall was prim and orderly with designated seats for particular people. The panel was a full complement of all the actors in the Tripartite Committee including the UN Resident Coordinator Madam Seraphine Wakana, Dr Emmanuel Gaima representing the government of Sierra Leone and Dr Kaifala Marah of the main opposition All Peoples Congress.
The host Minister of Information and Civic Education was at his usual best in introducing the panellists and the purpose of the special press conference, which was moved from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Conference Room to the inauspicious Brookfields Hotel. The initial deliberations focused on statements from every panellist speaking to the specifics of the committee, the peace of the country and the interest of Sierra Leone being sought.
The political tension that had been built in the country since the 2018 elections was won by the SLPP and President Julius Maada Bio and the attendant issues were dilated on and firm commitments were made to ensure the country does not slide into chaos and anarchy. The formation of the Tripartite Committee is one of the resolutions of the dialogue that took place on October 16-18 2023, which specifically asked that President Bio consults with the APC to constitute a cross-party committee on electoral systems and management bodies review with a three-way leadership. Tuesday’s signing was a huge step in actualising the mandate of the committee and accelerating the functionality of reviews and systems so craved by all parties. President Bio has once again shown a willingness to resolve disputes through dialogue and demonstrated a commitment to peace and national cohesion. It was one of many successes achieved since the impasse that emerged after the June 24 2023 elections.
The country had successfully negotiated its way out of the boycott of the main opposition APC from the government with the return of their Members of Parliament and Councillors to Parliament and the Councils respectively. The high point of the event was the signing of the ToR by the three leaders to the full glare of the media.
