Sierra Leone bans political street rallies

Freetown, Sierra Leone (AFP):

Sierra Leone has banned political street rallies, a tradition that has for decades characterised electoral campaigns, less than three months before the presidential election, the government said Monday.

Election periods are “no time for dancing and merriment”, but rather “times for deep reflections”, the Political Parties Regulation Commission, an independent state body, said in a statement announcing the ban.

Usually Sierra Leone’s two main political parties — the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), which is currently in power, and the All People’s Congress (APC) — hold parade-like rallies that move through town.

Under the new rules, parties must identify a single venue such as a stadium or a community centre in which to hold campaign events.

“Freeloading on the gullibility of our people, politicians have, over the years, effectively used those Street circuses to blur the thought process of the electorates, particularly the young ones, by the use of narcotics and other intoxicants,” the commission said.

“They get to the campaign designations in drunken stupor, completely devoid of any intellect, to comprehend the messages (if any), from their candidates.”

Lucien Momoh, a spokesman for the commission, said the ban would “minimise violence”.

“In Sierra Leone over the years street rallies during campaign period has posed a serious threat to the safety of ordinary people”, he told AFP.

“These rallies have been marred with violence, (the) use of abusive languages (and) threats to political opponents.”

The West African country of eight million people will hold presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections on June 24.

President Julius Maada Bio will vie for a second term.

His chief opponent, APC leader Samura Kamara, is currently standing trial on corruption charges.

If convicted, he will be barred from running for or holding public office.