By Sallieu S. Kanu
The national voter registration exercise started on a slow note in the Western Area compelling prospective voters to call for more registration centres to facilitate the 14-day exercise (First Phase).
The registration is also characterized by faulty equipment causing people to wait unduly at some undesignated centres for hours before being registered.
When Premier News visited the centre at Lumley High School Grassfield on Saturday, September 3, it observed that the machine recording thumbprints was faulty, delaying the registration from starting not until the afternoon when the machine was replaced.
Some of the centres we visited started three hours after the stipulated time.
When we visited the Redpump Community centre, only 20 persons had registered as at 11:20 hours.
There was frustration and anger in various electoral registration centres across Freetown and in several centres, voters queued up for many hours waiting to register only to be told by officials that they were experiencing technical problems
“Arriving at her local centre to register to vote and accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone – Lisa Chesney, people had queued for several hours unable to register,” the Mayor of Freetown – Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said.
The Mayor said when she visited Lumley Mafa Field, she observed that only 13 people had registered as at 12:00 noon because the laptop computer the officials had been using was not charged.
“I am hopeful that today’s slow pace reflects ‘first day teething problems’ and that the pace will pick up considerably after today! I am concerned that it seems that residents without NCRA registration cannot register directly with ECSL, they have to go to the NCRA desk first and there are reports from many centres that the NCRA machines are freezing.… I encouraged residents in the queue to be patient and to persevere – registration is our duty and our right,” the Mayor said.
The Electoral Commission Sierra Leone acknowledged some of the challenges during the first day of registration and promised to address them.
Last Friday, the Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh declared the start of the registration process.
“Fellow compatriots, the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone will begin voter registration as scheduled on Saturday the 3rd September in readiness for 24 June 2023 Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections.
“The voter registration process will be in two phases. Each phase takes 15 days and at every phase, the designated registration centers will be opened at 7:00a.m. and closed at 5:00 p.m. across the Country in every constituency and ward. The first phase will start on 3rd September and ends on 17th September,” he said in the statement.
“The Commission will need two days to mobilize equipment and staff across the country to start the 2nd phase on 20th September and ends on 4th October 2022. I encourage every eligible Sierra Leonean including those who will be 18 years old on 24th June 2023 to turn out in your numbers and present yourself at the registration centre where you intend to vote and update your details.”
Konneh said, “Documents required for registration are a valid Sierra Leonean passport, previous Voter ID card, a National ID card, certificate of registration from NCRA, or Sierra Leonean birth certificate. At the same time, we warn all those who intend to do or encourage double or underage registration not to attempt because they would be caught and prosecuted. The Commission is working in collaboration with the Security sector to ensure the safety of lives and property.”
“The Commission is also working with EMB’s, local and international partners to ensure best practices and credibility of the process. We will continue to work within the legal framework to ensure that citizens have unhindered access to the registration centres and be registered. The Commission has established a Situation room at the ECSL Headquarters to respond to public concerns during this period. The public can call on a toll-free number 838 on Africell, Orange and Qcell networks. Thank you for contributing toward a peaceful voter registration process for the June 2023 multitier elections.”