By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
Police in Sierra Leone on Wednesday confirmed that they have arrested 66 people across the country for taking part in a protest fuelled by the main opposition All Peoples Congress party (APC)
According to the assistant inspector general of police Brima Jah, the protesters were arrested in the capital in the Eastern and Western axis of the country adding that the east and southern part was calm.
‘’ For Freetown East they arrested 57 individual they are in police custody helping the police in investigations. For Freetown west, 9 individuals were arrested. They are all in police custody,’’ said AIG Brima Jah director of operations of the Sierra Leone police.
Mr. Jah said because of their swift response they were able to quell the situation assuring that the capital and other parts of the country were safe.
On Tuesday the main opposition All People’s Congress Party (APC) called on its supporters to come out on Wednesday for a peaceful protest across the country, a protest the country’s law enforcement body say is ‘’unlawful’’
‘’We want to unequivocally state here that if all issues are not resolved in today’s 12pm meeting be notified that we have now call out our supporters nation-wide to converge in designated areas to be communicated by the party for a peaceful protest on Wednesday 21st June , 2023,’’a letter to the country’s police chief stated.
However, the police director of operations said they received the opposition party’s letter to the police chief via WhatsApp but said they were asked for a meeting which he said the party didn’t honoured.
Protesters in the western and eastern part of Freetown carry placards carrying messages calling for the country’s electoral commissioner to resign, and for the electoral body to release aggregated data of the June 2023 elections.
‘’The data should be out saful. Konneh must go. ECSL must go,’’ the message reads on their placards.
‘’As it will be a peaceful procession. we urge your personnel to be peaceful with civilians and to provide us with the required protection,’’ the party added.
Bio’s main challenger, Samura Kamara on 14th June in an address to the media, civil society organisations and international observers lamented their party’s ‘’grave concerns’’ over the country’s Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohamed Konneh and the security forces effort in undermining electoral integrity in Saturday’s nationwide polls which he said has the potential of creating instability in the west African nation.
In a joint statement by the international community which includes the EU, UK, USA, Ireland and Germany expressed concerned over reports of elections related violence and aggression across the country in the run-up to the elections on Saturday.
‘’we urge everyone to refrain from violence, respect the political choices of one another, and to reject the language of division and hate,’’ the joint statement said.
The International community however urged the two leading presidential candidates Bio and Kamara and all political parties to owned up to its May pledge committing to peaceful campaigning and fair conduct in the elections and to resolving grievance through the courts adding they believed the pledge should set the tone for all supporters in the weeks ahead.
‘’As representative of the international community, we stand together as firm friends of Sierra Leone’s people. At the invitation of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, the deployment of national and international observer missions is now under way. In a spirit of partnership, we reiterate our support to transparent, inclusive, credible and peaceful election that reflect the will of the people,’’ they added.
The country’s main opposition party on Tuesday said their party continue to experience unprovoked attacks on its supporters, party offices in the south-eastern provinces which resulted in the burning of their party office in Bo by the ruling party.
‘’ The All Peoples Congress party (APC) brings to the attention of HE. Julius Maada Bio , the Sierra Leone Police , the political parties regulation commission, the peace commission , our international development partners , election observers over the continuous attacks of our supporters in the southern and eastern provinces , the vandalization of our party office in Kailahun , Bonthe and Pujehun and the burning down of our party office in Bo yesterday on 19th June , 2023,’’the party added.
Bio, in a state address on Tuesday said his government will not waiver in fulfilling its duty to decisively address any instances of violence, incitement or disruption to the hard-earned peace that prevails in the country.
Bio, who is seeking for re- election will head to the polls this Saturday with his main rival Samura Kamara.
Isatu Kamara 39, however called on political party leaders to preach peace and national cohesion messages ahead of the Saturdays polls as she believed that is what is needed for a peaceful election.
‘’Our politicians have responsibility to urge supporters to be law abiding, peaceful and to preach messages of unity and social cohesion as we move into elections day ,’’she believed.
