To promote democracy globally, we must fix the system in Sierra Leone, Samura Kamara says

 

On Twitter, Samura Kamara, the presidential nominee for the All People's Congress political party in Sierra Leone, shared a letter expressing concern about recent events in the country.

Kamara stated that Sierra Leone had experienced a "sad day" when the Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohamed Konneh presented a Certificate of Return at State House, following what Kamara called an "electoral coup and unprecedented election fraud."

He went on to explain that Sierra Leone had not been the same since the "paopas" came to power, a local term meaning "whether you like it or not."

Kamara recounted how, in June 2023, Sierra Leoneans had come out in large numbers to vote against an "autocratic and ethnocentric regime."However, the decline in democracy culminated in the most blatant electoral fraud ever.

Kamara warned that if this situation continues, it could lead to the death of democracy in Sierra Leone and threaten its consolidation, given the region's political, social, and economic problems.

Kamara, as an institutionalist, believes that organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and international partners have a significant role to play in preventing the spread of undemocratic behavior that ignores the voice and will of the majority.

He warned that if Sierra Leone's broken democracy is not fixed, and the "rogue regime" remains in power, then no one, including the AU, ECOWAS, and international partners, would have the moral authority to advocate for democracy, freedoms, peace, justice, and human rights globally.

Kamara called on international organizations and individuals who believe in democracy to take action and reprimand those who manipulate election results. He stressed that it is not enough to merely support elections and remain passive until situations become untenable. Failing to act can embolden dictators or would-be dictators.

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SamuraKamara2023

@samurakamara201

"My dear compatriots, Wednesday, July 19, 2023 marked another sad day for our nation. The presentation of a Certificate of Return by the Chief Electoral Commissioner

@MKKonnehECSL

further compounds the illegally stage-managed occupation of our State House, following the electoral coup - which to the best of my knowledge - is by far the most unprecedented election fraud ever. Sierra Leone is not the same anymore ever since the coming to governance of the 'PAOPA' REGIME in 2018.  On 24 June 2023, Sierra Leoneans were clearly determined to rid themselves of an autocratic and ethno-centric regime, and demonstrated their WILL for change by the huge turnout at polling centers. But the democratic backsliding since 2018 was climaxed in June 2023 by the most blatant electoral fraud ever in history. This cannot be accepted or allowed to continue because if we do, it will kill democracy in Sierra Leone and could threaten its consolidation in a region that is already politically, socially and economically troubled. I have exercised considerable restraint since the ROUGE announcement of results. As an institutionalist, I believe that ECOWAS in particular, the AU and international partners have a BIG role to play to prevent the spread of such undemocratic behaviour that ignores the Voice and Will of the majority. If this broken democracy is not fixed and this rogue regime is nurtured, no one, and I mean, no one, including the AU, ECOWAS and international partners would have the moral ground to globally advocate for democracy, freedoms, peace, Justice and human rights. This lack of action and/or reprimand by international organisations and democratic loving individuals, can surely EMBOLDEN DICTATORS OR WOULD-BE DICTATORS. It is not enough to support elections and stand aside when the results are being manipulated, and then only get involved when situations become untenable."