The Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Mohamed Kenewui Konneh, has on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, issued a press statement informing the public that it will conduct re-run of Parliamentary elections which were canceled in constituency 110 and some other local bye-elections on Saturday, December 12, 2020.
According to Konneh, the various constituencies in which the elections are to be conducted includes, constituency 110 in the western area rural district; bye-elections in constituency 078 and ward 287 in Bo district, ward 348 in Moyamba District and ward 225 in Karene District, respectively.
Speaking in consonance with the law, Konneh says that “in exercise of the powers conferred on it [NEC] by Section 33 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 ) and pursuant to the provisions of Section 39 of the said Constitution, Sections 69 (1) and 70 (1) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No. 4 of 2012); and Section 10 of the Local Government Act, 2004 (Act No. 1 of 2004), the National Electoral Commission (NEC) makes the following proclamation: Saturday, 12th December, 2020 is hereby declared as the day for the conduct of Parliamentary re-run election in Constituency 110 in Western Area Rural District; bye-elections in Constituency 078 and Ward 287 in Bo District, Ward 348 in Moyamba District and Ward 226 in Karene District.”
Konneh added that the Commission has developed Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) prevention guidelines that had been approved by the National Covid-19 Response Centre (NACOVERC) for the conduct of electoral activities nationwide.
“Nominations of Candidates for the said Parliamentary and Local Council bye-elections shall take place from 9th – 10th November, 2020, at the respective NEC District Offices in Bo, Moyamba and Kerene Districts. Constituency 110 re-run election will not go through candidate’s nomination exercises.”
He said that the deadline for Political Parties to submit the list of their endorsed candidates for the bye-elections to the National Electoral Commission (NEC) is 5th November, 2020; as per Sections 61 and 62 of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No. 4 of 2012).
He informed the public that, in accordance with Statutory instrument No. 13 of 2012, the candidates nomination fee for the said Parliamentary bye-election is Le10 million; and Local Council bye-election is one million Leones per candidate, payable to the respective District Returning Officers in Bo, Moyamba and Karene Districts.
He added that qualifications and disqualifications for candidates to be eligible for election as Member of Parliament are found in Sections 75 and 76 of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone, and qualifications and disqualifications of Councilors are found in Section 6 of the aforementioned Local Government Act, 2004; and any other relevant legislation.
He concluded that other details for the nomination of candidates, conduct of the parliamentary re-run election and other parliamentary and Local Council bye-elections shall be published by the National Electoral Commission in due course.
By Hasbin Shaw
21/10/2020. ISSUE NO: 7935