By Ishmael Dumbuya
The Chairman of the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC), Abdulai M Bangura, has called on all politicians to be peaceful and law-abiding during campaigns period throughout the country.
In a recent address on Radio Democracy, Chairman Bangura urged politicians to display an utmost political tolerance, ensure the free and unrestricted access of all political parties to all communities, as well as foster a tranquil and harmonious campaign environment.
He added that such conditions are essential for conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
He went on to stress that the importance of mutual respect between politicians and the electorates paves a clear path for a peaceful co-existence among Sierra Leoneans.
Chairman Bangura called for a continuous communication and engagement on emerging issues related to the campaign trail.
He admonished all political parties, their supporters, and independent candidates to treat each other with respect in order to promote a peaceful co-existence, noting that that proactive approach will aim to foster a positive relationship between the political entities in order to enhance a transparent and coordinative electoral process.
The Chairman however in his concluding remarks assured the public that the campaigns have so far been very peaceful, but stressing the need for improvement and pledged to guide the process to address any challenges that avails itself.
The stages for political campaigns have so far been declared by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (EC-SL), with each political party given their stipulated date for campaigns. The SLPP presented their manifesto to the public on Tuesday 23rd May and the APC yesterday 29th May. So far, the political tension seems to be relatively peaceful with not much security personnel on the streets of Freetown.
