While Sierra Leone Struggles To Maintain Peace After Election: Weah Champions Democracy In Africa
News emanating from neighboring Sierra Leone has confirmed a breach of security at the Military Barracks at Wilberforce in Freetown on Sunday, November 26, 2023, with unidentified individuals attacking the military armory of the country, but were rebuffed, according to security updates. The news also confirmed that prisoners in the main prison have been released and are all at large.
Amidst the national security disorder, the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, has declared a nationwide curfew with immediate effect across the country, mandating the citizens to stay indoors.
Since the election in June 2023, which international observers reported was rigged by incumbent President Bio, Sierra Leone has been engulfed with series of national security threats, ranging from a failed coup to attacks on military barracks and release of prisoners.
On the flipside, the Republic of Liberia, a next-door neighbor, appears to be setting the democratic pace for the subregion, with President George M. Weah graciously conceding defeat to his opposition and working with the in-coming administration for a smooth transfer of power in January 2024.
President Weah has been regarded by many as a champion of democracy in the West African subregion, and Africa by extension. The opposition leader of Uganda, Bobi Wine, has stated that Weah has earned himself a place amongst African noble statesmen and hope other African leaders can draw lessons and appreciate that people must not die and nations collapse in the name of them holding onto power.
Recently, President Weah named himself and the President-elect, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, as Co-Chairpersons to the Joint Presidential Transitional Team (JPTT), proclaiming Executive Order #123, in which he authorized the President-elect to designate twenty (20) persons to the team.
Accordingly, President-elect Boakai has named a 20-man transitional team to serve on the Joint Presidential Transitional Team (JPTT), which was set up recently by President Weah to stir the transitional affairs of the state and lead the country to a peaceful transfer of power from the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government to the Unity Party (UP) Alliance government in January 2024.
The UP Alliance’s 20-man nomination include Lusinee Kamara, Political Leader, All Liberian Coalition Party (ALCOP); MacDella Cooper, Political Leader, Movement for One Liberia (MOL); Edward Appleton, Political Leader, Grassroot Democratic Movement (GDM); Sara Beyslow Nyanti, Political Leader, African Liberation League (ALL); Dr. Urey Yarkpawolo, running mate of Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe; Amara Konneh, Senator-elect, Gbarpolu County; Darbah Vapilah, Senator-elect, Grand Cape Mount County; and Rev. Luther Tarpeh, Chairman, Unity Party (UP) Alliance.
Others on the team are Cllr. Cooper Kruah, Samuel Kofi Woods, II, Dr. Augustine Konneh, Boima Kamara, Jorn Morlu, Jr., Sam Gaye, Sahr Johnny, Noah Zawu Gibson, Gbemie Horace-Kollie, Wilmot Paye and Jacob Smith.
Boakai appointed the Secretary General of UP, Amos Tweh, to serve as a member of the JPTT Secretariat and along with Cllr. Kruah and Amara Konneh.
The team will work along with the CDC government’s team already named by President Weah to execute Chapter 2, Article 5 (c) of the 1986 Constitution, which authorizes the sitting President to develop a system of appropriate protocols and mechanisms for the smooth transfer of power from the incumbent President to the in-coming President.
The JPTT was mandated to commence its function and exercise the powers and authority granted by the Executive Order no later than forty-eight (48) hours after the declaration of the President-elect by the National Elections Commission (NEC), and to cease to function after the publication of its final report, which shall be no later than forty-eight (48) hours before the inauguration of the President-elect and Vice President-elect.
Decisions of the JPTT is to be made by consensus, and in the case of disagreement President Weah and President-elect Boakai will act jointly to resolve such a matter.