Campaigning for Sierra Leone’s August 11 legislative and presidential elections began Tuesday, with outgoing head of state Ahmad Tejan Kabbah calling for “violent-free” polls.

“Let me remind all that politics is a friendly contest and we should accept the outcome. Let us all sustain the level of peace now existing in the country,” said Kabbah, who is stepping down after serving for the maximum allowed two terms.

“All Sierra Leoneans should ensure that the elections are violent-free,” he added.

The polls on August 11 will be closely watched abroad for signs confirming that the unrest that fuelled Sierra Leone’s 1991-2001 civil war has been definitively quelled.

The spokeswoman for the country’s National Electoral Commission, Miatta French, said seven parties had registered for the elections.

“We will observe how the parties campaign from now on until August 9 (the end of the campaigning period) to ensure that they keep within the law and not be violent in their utterances,” she said.

On the same day as the two elections, Sierra Leone’s voters will also be asked to vote in a referendum on changing the constitution.

A special UN envoy to the country, Victor Angelo, said: “The start of the campaign is important as Sierra Leone advances on the road to democratic consolidation.”

IC Publications

On the eve of the start of election campaigning in Sierra Leone, a senior United Nations official in the country today urged democratic conduct by the parties.

“A peaceful campaign is crucial for credible elections,” said the Executive Representative of the Secretary-General, Victor Angelo, encouraging all candidates to abide by the Political Parties Code of Conduct.

He said the UN trusts that they “will keep the national interest above everything else and exhibit during the campaigning period the democratic maturity that they have shown during the nomination phase, as well as during the previous stages of the electoral process.”

Mr. Angelo also urged reporters and producers to fully adhere to the Media Code of Conduct.

Sierra Leonean voters will go to the polls on 11 August for nationwide elections.

allAfrica.com: Sierra Leone: As Election Campaign Approaches, UN Official Urges Democratic Conduct (Page 1 of 1)

Freetown, Sierra Leone (PANA) – The Chairman of Ghana National Electoral Commission, David Adeenze Kangah has arrived in Freetown to observe preparations by Sierra Leone’s Elections Commission (NEC) the presidential and parliamentary elections on 11 August 2007.

NEC Public Relations officer, Isaac Curtis Hook said Kangah arrived here Friday with a four-member delegation hailing from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).

Kangah told a press briefing Saturday that they were in Freetown to assess NEC’s preparations for the scheduled presidential and parliamentary elections in Sierra Leone.

“Our mission is in furtherance of the 2001 ECOWAS supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance which mandates the ECOWAS Commission to send fact-finding missions to member states preparing for elections.

The Director of Training and Communication, Gambian Joseph Colley said the mission will hold broad consultations with major stakeholders and key democratic institutions such as Parliament, the National Electoral Commission, political parties, civil society organizations, the media, security agencies and international organizations involved in the electoral process.

Earlier, Director General of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador-at-large Umaru Bonn Wurie assured the delegation of government’s preparation for the elections in a “free, transparent and fair atmosphere”.

ECOWAS assesses preparations for elections in Sierra Leone | Afrique en ligne

APA-Freetown (Sierra Leone) Sierra Leone’s army deputy of defence staff, Brigadier Alfred Nelson-Williams, on Thursday assured the citizens of the country of the army’s neutrality in political issues and pledged the institution’s readiness to safeguard peace and ensure security throughout the upcoming general and presidential elections.

Brigadier Nelson-Williams made the statement at the military headquarters in Freetown to allay rumours and apprehension among the civilian population that stems from fresh memories of military takeovers shortly after elections.

In May 1997, a military junta overthrew the then ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government barely a year after it won a democratic election and held sway for nine months before it was flushed out by a Nigerian-led regional intervention force, ECOMOG.

Also in 1967, the army seized power after a disputed general and presidential election and many now fear history might well be on the way of repeating itself.

“The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces personnel would not meddle in the conduct of the general and presidential elections in August besides providing security,” Brig. Nelson-Williams reassured.

He then explained that the army has formulated and adopted a code of conduct for personnel who will be on duty during elections billed for 11 August 2007.

The system of separate voting for military personnel would have to be abolished so that the forces can not be seen as owing allegiance to a political party, he insisted.

In the last presidential elections, the army and para-military forces massively voted for a military-turned-civilian candidate that came close to clinching the presidency.

Sierra Leone army assures citizens of political neutrality | Afrique en ligne

Only five out of the eight registered political parties submitted names of their parliamentary aspirants at the close of the Tuesday deadline.

Isaac Curtis-Hooke, National Electoral Commission External Affairs Officer said on Wednesday that of the five, it was the SLPP, APC and PMDC who submitted a full list of 112 aspirants each for all the constituencies. The other two, UNPP and NDA were unable to fill candidates in some parts of the country.

The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) party, the PDP and fugitive Johnny Paul Koroma’s PLP are registered but did not present names of Presidential and Parliamentary candidates to contest the August 11 elections.

RUFP Secretary General, Jonathan Kposowa admitted that the party is broke and to make matters worse, they have been evicted from the building they had occupied in Freetown since the rebel movement was transformed into a political party after the war.The RUFP effectively collapsed after the death in detention of its leader Corporal Foday Saybana Sankoh (photo).

The PDP disintegrated after the death of its Leader Thaimu Bangura and even in the 2002 elections did not present a presidential candidate. Similarly for the PLP, whose only two members in the outgone Parliament had defected to opposition parties.

Dr. John Karefa-Smart’s UNPP which came second in the 1996 elections but was not represented in the last Parliament since it did not win a single seat in the 2002 elections is locked in a serious leadership struggle.

A breakaway faction led by Abdul Karim Kadry who was based in the USA for a long time, held a national convention last year attempting to dethrone Karefa-Smart as leader.

Karefa-Smart’s faction had filed a petition with the Political Parties Registration Commission and NEC challenging the eligibility of the new leadership.

Meanwhile a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday between the National Electoral Commission and political parties to work out the formality for the nomination of their respective presidential candidates.

Five Parties To Contest August 11 Polls

The Vice-President and Presidential candidate of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP), Mr.Solomon Berewa, will be naming his running mate for the August 11 all-important elections in a week’s time, according to sources close to the Veep yeterday. The sources , who pleaded anonymity, revealed that the Vice-President will be likely making another senitization tour of Kenema and while in that SLPP stronghold, he will announce the man who will help him bear the party’s mantle during the elections. Inside sources said that it was likely that Foreign Minister, Mr.Momodu Koroma, will be named as the running mate of the SLPP Flag-bearer. COCORIOKO is following up the story and will bring you all highlights when the news breaks.

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