By Bobor Dan Kamara
The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has suspended indefinitely the bye-election of the Chairman for the Kenema District Council following High Court order.
The High Court of Sierra Leone slammed the injunction after one of the candidates from the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) had filed a petition declaring his grievances.
The Screening, Consensus Building & Elections Committee (SCBEC), a five-man committee with Joseph Bindi serving as its chairman, is charged with the responsibility to oversee the selection of a candidate ahead of the Bye Election earlier scheduled for November 16 2024.
The Committee concluded its initial screening phase to replace the late Chairman of the Kenema District Council.
The Kenema District Council Secretary earlier presented four applications of the four candidates who met the submission deadline to the Committee. The candidates were:
1.Anthony Fonnie
2.Amie Zombo
3.John Steven Goba
4.Ibrahim Wurie
Report states that only three of the aforementioned candidates showed up for screening while Ms. Amie Zombo exempted herself from the process without any prior notice.
It further states that at the screening process, candidate John Steven Goba raised an objection challenging the eligibility of four of the delegates on the list. Subsequently, Anthony Fonnie filed a petition allegedly accusing the Committee’s Chairman of favorism.
The party, however, informed the Committee of the court order.
Local people and delegates from surrounding villages who travelled to Kenema City to grace the occasion felt disappointed but called for a free, fair selection process.
According to the ECSL, the deceased Chairman Mohamed Amadu Sesay died at the Kenema Government Hospital on Tuesday 6th August 2024, which mandated them to conduct nomination and elections to fill the vacancy according to section 33 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, (Act No. 6 of 1991) pursuant to section 67 (1), 68 of the public Elections Act of 2022, Section 10 and 11 of the Local Government Act 2022.
