The Sierra Leone Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) will today commence the facilitation of dialogue between the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party at the Bintumani Hotel Ballroom at Aberdeen, Freetown. The dialogue is being supported by international mediators from the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWEAS), and the Commonwealth of Nations respectively.

The dialogue between the GoSL and the main opposition APC comes following the announcement of the Saturday 24th June, 2023 multitier elections by the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) which the main opposition APC rejected on grounds that the elections were not transparent. It therefore resorted to boycotting State governance at all levels and majority of its elected representatives had held on to that stance since the announcement of the election results which the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) won. It is the non-participation of the main opposition APC in State governance, which won fifty-four seats in Parliament that has prompted today’s mediation dialogue at Bintumani Hotel between the government and the main opposition APC.

Be that as it may, the current political impasse between the government and the main opposition APC is seriously affecting democratic reforms in the country and palpable national development that will impact on the lives of Sierra Leoneans.

It is the damaging effect of this political impasse that has prompted our development partners to mediate between the government and the main opposition for the good of Sierra Leoneans.

Last week, for example, the U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Bryan David Hunt held a crucial meeting with the leadership of the APC and the meeting was to emphasize the significance of constructive dialogue in advancing democratic reforms and ensuring stability with the country. Many other development partners and even some party stalwarts have advised the APC leadership to participate in State governance in the interest of the people but to no seeming avail.

But as the mediation dialogue between the GoSL and the main opposition APC finally kicks off today, let’s hope that both side will express their willingness to engage in substantive and meaningful discussions that will foster cooperation among the two parties for the good of Sierra Leoneans.

The current political impasse is affecting national development, especially when many of our development partners are still not convinced with the outcome of our June elections.

For example, the US$450 million U.S. MCC’s windfall for Sierra Leone, which could have been approved by the MCC Board in September this year is now uncertain as a result of our current political impact. Even the non-recognition of the outcome of our June elections by the US and EU is having a telling effect on the government and the people. It is against this backdrop that the two parties should see reason to have a successful dialogue that will final end the current political impasse for the country to move forward.
After all, the obdurate stance of the main opposition APC party not to participate in State governance at all levels will only exacerbate our already worsened socio-economic situation as many of our development partners have already frowned on their commitments to assist national development. And what will it benefit the APC and their supporters if they succeed in blocking development projects being supported by our development partners on the grounds of claims they have not substantiated before the law?
By and large, as President Julius Maada Bio put it in his interview in New York during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last month, elections are controversial everywhere in the world including the United States of America.

Sierra Leone has experienced similar situations since the Second Republic of Sierra Leone and we had always found common grounds for such controversies.

We believe this current political impasse should not be an exception if we truly love ourselves and the development of our motherland. May the Almighty Father therefore bless the mediation dialogue process so that it will end successfully for Sierra Leone to move on. This mediation process is very relevant to the wellbeing of all Sierra Leoneans, irrespective of which political parties we belong.