SLPP & APC End Stalemate

After the post-election dialogue organized in Freetown, stalwarts of both the ruling SLPP party and the main opposition APC party have agreed to end the political stalemates.

The dialogue was championed by the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Commonwealth, following the request of Sierra Leone’s Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC).

It would be recalled that the APC had previously rejected the June 24 election results, citing significant irregularities and breaches of electoral procedures. As a result, they boycotted to participate in governance activities.

Both the ruling SLPP party and the main opposition APC party have agreed as follows:

• The President will make a national address on dialogue, unity, and peace.
• The APC will end its non-participation in governance.
• The President, in consultation with the APC, will constitute a cross-party committee on electoral system and leadership bodies review.
• Release of any persons arrested, detained, or imprisoned for alleged election or civil protest informed by the list to be submitted by the APC and considered by the government of Sierra Leone.
• Discontinuation of any politically motivated court cases against the APC, other parties, and their supporters based on a list to be submitted by the APC and other parties and considered by the government of Sierra Leone.
• Support the resettlement of any political party supporters internally and externally displaced due to political intimidation, attacks and harassment based on a list to be submitted by the APC and other parties and considered by the government of Sierra Leone as soon as possible.
• That upon assumption of their governance positions, all elected APC officials, members of parliament, mayors, chairpersons, councilors will have the issue of entitlement addressed accordingly by the appropriate institutions.
• The parliament to address any issue as it relates to leadership, composition of committee and representation in international parliament on behalf of APC. The composition of representation in international parliament must reflect APC share in accordance with constitution of Sierra Leone.
• Both parties agree to the institutionalization of an inter-party dialogue framework between the APC, SLPP and other political parties. This will be facilitated by the government.
• Both parties commit to re-engineer and rekindle the relationship between the national, socio-political ecosystem such as between His Excellency, the President and former political leaders, former Presidents and vice presidents, the APC and SLPP leadership, etc.
• The government of Sierra Leone and the APC strictly condemn all citizens at home and abroad who incite violence, spread hate speech and disrupt national cohesion online and offline and government will pursue all efforts to bring those involved to justice.
• There shall be actions and commitment by the parties to implement the agreement reached during this mediated dialogue. To this end, the government of Sierra Leone and the APC party commit to the establishment of an independent committee of moral guarantors whose membership shall be agreed by the parties to support and monitor the implementation of this agreement.