It is vital to note that the international moral guarantors who came to Sierra Leone last week from the ECOWAS Commission, UNOWAS, and the Commonwealth Secretariat came to deliberate only on the review of the electoral system. Nothing more. Nothing less. (Photo: Moral Guarantors during signing).

That was why, throughout the 5-day consultations with internal and external stakeholders, the representatives of ECOWAS, UNOWAS, and the Commonwealth spoke only about the 80 convergent tripartite recommendations and their implementation, their own mandate.

The diplomats did not come to talk about the 4 plus 1 divergent recommendations, as this mandate is beyond their scope of assignment. The international delegation mandated to execute the divergent views, i.e. 4 plus 1 recommendations, will arrive as soon as possible.

This is an excerpt from the joint press release stating the December 2026 date: “The parties commit to implement electoral reforms as contained in the Tripartite Committee Recommendations, in particular recommendation 36. (Photo: Moral Guarantors).

“The parties commit to restructuring the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone, ECSL, within the framework and principles of National Unity, not later than 31 December 2026. The parties further agree that where there is undue delay in implementing reforms within the agreed timelines, the parties and moral guarantors will reconvene to review the situation.”

It is important to highlight these differences because yesterday, some Sierra Leoneans, especially some of the electoral justice believers, felt disappointed in the press statement issued by the foreign mission, namely ECOWAS, UNOWAS and the Commonwealth.

The contents of the joint press release did not make good reading for some of the 2023 voters who did not understand the contextual message. The gullible 2023 voters should know that the mention of the December 32, 2026, deadline was only for the 80 electoral reforms.

It has nothing to do with the four divergent views, which specifically dealt with the restoration of political transition emanating from the June 24, 2023, elections, which the incumbent and illegal President Julius Maada Bio stole publicly from the President-elect Dr Samura Kamara.

The broad daylight electoral robbery in 2023 by the SLPP party ushered in the national dialogue that led to the Tripartite Agreement, comprising electoral reforms and accountability, i.e. examination of the 2023 elections.

As a result, the international community is tackling the Sierra Leone situation on two fronts. First is reforming the electoral abnormalities, and secondly, to investigate the 2023 thievery, which was clearly won by the APC leader, Dr Samura Kamara, the people’s choice.

Now, Aja Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang of ECOWAS, Ms Barrie Freeman of UNOWAS, and Mr Tanmaya Lal of the Commonwealth have come and gone, signing the press statement they left behind, starting their follow-up status on the implementation process. (Photo: Maada Bio and Dr Samura Kamara).

As we go to press, there is competent information that the other delegation mandated to execute the accountability basket, i.e. the restoration of democracy, is on its way to Sierra Leone to carry out its work. This is good news for the 2023 voters.

When you read the press release forensically, you will notice that the mission only mentioned ‘Government of Sierra Leone’. There is no part in the statement that says ‘President Maada Bio will implement the Tripartite Recommendations. It means a lot to realise that the mission was talking diplomatically, knowing full well that a new President, Dr Samura Kamara, will implement the recommendations fully.

The mission rightly thanked the stakeholders for giving them the hospitality all visitors deserve. Maada Bio did not sign. The SLPP did not sign. APC did not sign the joint statement. What does that tell you? Therefore, the 2023 believers should not worry. The transition shall take place shortly and the people responsible have started work already.