Abdulai Masiyambay Bangurah, Chairman of the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC), on Thursday 2nd February 2023, briefed the Press on the key changes in the Political Parties Act No. 25 of 2022, emerging issues and activities lined up before the 2023 multi-tier elections.
Speaking on the changes in the new act, the Chairman said that the Commission will now have a fifth Commissioner that will be nominated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and will be charged with the responsibility to look into compliance and to report obligations of registered political parties in Sierra Leone.
He informed the press that the Administrator and Registrar General has been replaced by an Executive Secretary, who will be responsible for the registration of political parties.
On the tenure of the Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Bangura said the tenure is no longer perpetual, as it is now limited to two five year terms.
Speaking on the mediation role of the Commission, the Chairman says before now, the Commission has to wait for an invitation to settle an intra-party dispute, but with the new act, the Commission can now intervene as of right to mediate.
On the enforcement powers of the Commission, the Chairman says in the new Act the Commission can now warn, fine, suspend and if all fail, deregister defaulting political parties. And that if any political party is aggrieved by any decision taken by the Commission it can seek redress in the Supreme Court.
Commenting on the activities of the Commission, the Chairman said, the Commission played a pivotal role in the amendment and enactment of the Constitution and Rules of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), the National Grand Coalition (NGC), and the All Peoples Congress (APC).
The Commission, he said, through the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), has organized training for the All Political Parties Youth Association (APPYA), the All Political Women Association (APWA), and the All Political Parties Association (APPA).
The Commission, he says, has plans to undertake a Nation Wide sensitization campaign on the New Act and also to shape the minds of Political Actors.
Mr. Bangurah also stated that the Commission will embark on a nationwide engagement with Traditional and local leaders on the need to ensure unhindered access to political parties in every part of the country.
Amongst others, the Chairman says the Commission will embark on campaigns against hate speech, misinformation, and tribal invectives.
He informed the press that the Commission will hold a nationwide walk for peace with peace messages from political party leaders.
Questions and answers formed the high point of the Conference.
On another level, in a Press Statement dated 2nd February,2023 issued by the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) the General Public is hereby informed that, by Section 37(4) of The Political Parties Act No 25 of 2022, Independent Candidates are required to submit to the Commission, a pre-election declaration of their Assets and liabilities, as envisioned in Section 37(1) of the said Act.
Consequent upon the above, all prospective Independent Candidates are requested to submit the said declaration to the Commission, as a prerequisite to their Candidature.
According to the PPRC, the declaration form can be obtained from the Commission, in any of its offices at no cost.
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