PRESS RELEASE
26TH MAY 2004

THE SIERRA LEONE PEOPLE'S PARTY(SLPP)

The SLPP would like to thank its numerous members and supporters for the just concluded Local Government Elections. The Party would also wish to express its appreciation to all those who in diverse ways contributed to the success of the said elections.

The Party notes with maximum satisfaction that this is the first time nationwide elections have been conducted within two years of the end of the War. Unlike the pre-war years when such elections were marred by violence, thuggery, armed robbery of ballot boxes and fraudulent practices of every description, the General and Presidential elections, Paramount Chieftaincy Elections and these Local Government Elections have been peaceful and wholly violence free.

The Party is most pleased with its commendable performance and the overwhelming popular support it has enjoyed and continues to enjoy nationwide. This has enabled the party to take and maintain an unassailable commanding lead in the Local Government Elections. The Party is now poised to win and control sixteen (16) out of the nineteen (19) City, Town and District Councils in the Country. Four out of the five District Councils in the Northern Province will be controlled by the SLPP as well as all the three District Councils in the Eastern Province and all four District Councils in the Southern Province, plus four out of the five Town Councils of Bo, Kenema, Koidu-New Sembehun and Bonthe. This is no mean achievement for a Ruling Party in mid-term Elections.

However, notwithstanding the peaceful nature of the elections and the successful outcome of the same, and in spite of the Party's outstanding success, the Party is of the opinion that there were malpractices and irregularities in the conduct of the Elections particularly in the Western Area and Northern Region. A few instances of such irregularities and malpractices can be given here:

1. In some parts of the Western Area and the Northern Region multiple voting was allowed and this enabled opposition party supporters who were in possession of several voter slips that were without photographs to vote more than once.
   
2. In some cases in the Western Area in particular the locations of polling stations were changed without any prior notice. Polling stations of particular wards were located in other wards. This created confusion.
   
3. Inconsistencies in the location of polling posters which resulted from the absence of the party's candidates' photograph on the posters in the polling station and on the ballot. This was particularly noticeable in parts of the Western Area and the Northern Region. It was also prevalent in areas that the opposition candidates won.
   
4. In some areas of the Western Area and the Northern Region the presiding officers unjustifiably excluded the party's polling agents and counting agents.
   
5. There were instances particularly in the Bombali and Port Loko Districts where presiding officers showed clear preferences and bias for opposition party candidates.
   
6. In many cases, particularly in the Northern Region, the Presiding Officers left the ballot boxes open after close of polling. In many cases in the Bombali District the open ballot boxes were left in the sole possession of either the presiding officer or the Police. These were done in the absence of the party's polling and counting agents who had invariably been excluded.
   
7. Under-age voting seemed to have been permitted in some polling stations in the Western Area and the Northern Region. In many such cases the numbers of voters were inflated. Consequently the numbers of voters in the affected wards by far exceeded the actual numbers of registered voters. In any of such cases Fake Voter Slips or illegally obtained ones were used to vote. One such instance was in Kamabai in the Bombali District.
   
8. There was at least one case in the Bombali District where the Election Officials wrongfully and unlawfully altered the Election results in favour of an opposition candidate.
   The Party is of the view that the malpractices highlighted and others that have not been mentioned adversely affected the Party's showing in some areas, particularly in the Western Area and in the Bombali District. It also takes the view that such malpractices have the potential of undermining the Electoral process.

That apart, the party as a governing party is prepared to take a tolerant attitude in its pursuit of a meaningful, durable and lasting democratic culture. The Party, however, wishes to caution that unless such malpractices and misconducts are guarded against in the future they might impugn the integrity of the whole process.

The Party also wishes it to be known that there were petitions relating to the unjustifiable disqualification of some of the Party's candidates by the National Electoral Commission. These petitions were pending before the Commission even before the Elections. The Party intends to pursue the said petitions.

Finally, there were other matters which the party regards as being far too grave and serious which occurred during the conduct of the elections in certain parts of the country. Because of the nature of these particular malpractices and irregularities the Party feels it is in the interest of all concerned and in the interest of the democratic process, as well, that a definite pronouncement be made on these matters.

DR. SAMA BANYA
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
SIERRA LEONE PEOPLES PARTY (SLPP)

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