VZCZCXRO4083
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0202/01 0821650
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231650Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0917
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 FREETOWN 000202 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SL
SUBJECT: ESTIMATED TWO MILLION SIERRA LEONEANS REGISTER TO 
VOTE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas N. Hull for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) On March 18 Sierra Leone concluded a three-week voter 
registration period for the national elections to be held 
July 28, 2007. Deemed a success by the United Nations 
Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), preliminary 
results estimate that between February 26 - March 18 nearly 2 
million of approximately 2.7 million anticipated eligible 
voters registered. There were isolated incidents of electoral 
fraud mostly involving double or underage registration. Cases 
of political intimidation by the ruling party were also 
reported. However, there was no discernible pattern of fraud 
or intimidation during the process. 
 
¶2. (C) The three major political parties complained there was 
an insufficient number of voter registration centers (VRCs) 
and long distances between centers discouraged people from 
registering. The parties also expressed concern about a 2,000 
registration cap on VRCs. Centers that registered 2,000 
people closed and referred applicants to nearby centers. 
National Electoral Commission (NEC) officials explained this 
was done to avoid creating mega-polling centers on election 
day. Registration observers, including a delegation hosted by 
the National Democratic Institute (NDI), noted that the 
electoral process in Sierra Leone still faces many 
challenges, including the potential for political tension, 
logistical difficulties and competition for limited resources 
for key institutions. It appears the Government still plans 
to move forward with a constitutional referendum on election 
day, which will add to the already considerable logistical 
challenges. END SUMMARY. 
 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CALLS REGISTRATION A SUCCESS 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) 
conducted voter registration from February 26 - March 18 for 
the upcoming Sierra Leone national elections on July 28. 
UNIOSIL called the process a success given the considerable 
technical and logistical challenges the process faced. UN and 
NEC officials said that preliminary results estimated that 
nearly 2 million of 2.7 million anticipated eligible voters 
registered at 2,740 registration centers. Forty-seven percent 
of those who registered were women, and 50 percent were below 
the age of 27. In comparison, during the 2002 national 
elections approximately 2.3 million Sierra Leoneans 
registered at 5,278 centers over two weeks. During the 
current process, there were isolated incidents of electoral 
fraud, primarily involving double or underage registration, 
and alleged attempts to register non-Sierra Leoneans.  The 
Sierra Leone Police (SLP) also reported allegations of 
political intimidation by the ruling Sierra Leone People's 
Party (SLPP). However, there were no discernible patterns of 
systemic abuse. These cases of alleged electoral fraud are 
currently under investigation. 
 
NEC PERFORMS WELL DESPITE CONSIDERABLE CONSTRAINTS 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The 2007 national elections are the reconstituted 
NEC's first experience organizing elections. In 2005, the NEC 
underwent major changes in structure and personnel and 
selected a new chairperson to revamp the organization. The 
NEC receives targeted technical assistance and significant 
financial support from the international community. The NEC's 
performance has been encouraging despite the considerable 
logistical and technical challenges it faces. UN officials 
commended the NEC for its efforts to curb registration fraud 
and address the many issues that arose during registration, 
including underage or double registration, political parties 
attempting to conduct parallel registration, fighting between 
political party observers, and the difficulty of delivering 
registration materials to all centers on time for the opening 
of registration. The NEC also had to contend with 
inaccessibility of many registration centers in remote areas 
and registration officials who threatened to strike over 
salary disputes. One center reportedly closed for one day 
after an altercation between a deputy minister who belongs to 
the ruling SLPP party and registration officials. (See par. 7) 
 
MAIN COMPLAINTS: DISTANCE AND NUMBER OF VRCS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) During the three-week registration period, there were 
steady complaints about distances people had to travel to 
register. Political party leaders expressed concern that a 
combination of insufficient numbers of VRCs and long 
 
FREETOWN 00000202  002 OF 003 
 
 
distances discouraged registration and fed voter apathy. 
(Comment: The three major political parties disputed the NEC 
and UN's claim that five to seven miles was the greatest 
distance between centers. End Comment) Moreover, they said 
that elderly and physically-challenged individuals were 
negatively impacted. Vice President Berewa, the SLPP 
presidential candidate, told the Ambassador the registration 
process was not uniform because there more readily accessible 
registration sites available in urban centers than in rural 
areas. This perceived inequality of access gave an unfair 
advantage to parties that derive political support from urban 
over rural areas. Berewa also expressed concern that this 
would be a critical issue on election day, particularly as 
voters will have to slog to centers during the rainy season. 
(Comment: This is of great concern to the SLPP which draws 
much of it support from rural areas, whereas Freetown is an 
opposition APC stronghold. End Comment.) 
 
¶6. (C) Charles Margai, the presidential candidate for the 
SLPP breakaway party, the People's Movement for Democratic 
Change (PMDC), has been very critical of the NEC, both 
publicly and privately. He says the NEC has no power to 
enforce electoral law and is a pawn of the ruling SLPP. 
During a meeting with PolOff March 22, he claimed the NEC has 
ignored the numerous registration irregularities reported by 
his party. He also argued that the registration period should 
have been extended to account for irregularities during the 
process. He expressed grave concerns about the NEC 
registration officials and accused them of being SLPP 
sympathizers. 
 
ISOLATED INCIDENTS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD AND INTIMIDATION 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The international community's assessment of the 
process was mainly positive, especially given the numerous 
challenges the process faced. Election officials said that 
most cases of registration fraud, primarily either underage 
or double registration, were mostly a product of ignorance. 
They reported there were isolated reported incidents of 
political intimidation and violence. In Kenema district in 
the Southern Province, there were 19 cases of electoral fraud 
reported. One case involved a deputy minister who had 
supporters attack registration officials after he was not 
allowed to &butt in line8 to register. All were under 
investigation by the SLP and four have been charged to court. 
 
OBSERVERS ASSESS REGISTRATION 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The National Democratic Institute (NDI) hosted a 
pre-election delegation March 12-19, funded by the UK's DFID. 
This is the first of two (NDI) delegations to assess the 
pre-election environment in advance of the July 28 national 
elections. Comprised of experienced political and civic 
leaders and elections experts from Africa, North America, the 
Middle East and Asia, the delegation met with Embassy staff, 
Sierra Leonean political and civic leaders, electoral 
authorities, GOSL officials, and representatives of the media 
and international community, including UN electoral technical 
advisors assigned to the NEC. The delegation also traveled to 
Bo, Bombali, and Kenema districts to observe registration 
centers and meet with local political and civic leaders. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The NDI delegation reported that the NEC was making 
progress toward the conduct of credible elections and viewed 
it as gaining credibility as an effective institution 
operating independently of the GoSL. However, the NDI 
delegation noted significant challenges that are emerging in 
the run up to the elections. The final report cited 
substantial political tension, logistical difficulties and 
the limited resources which are hampering the work of key 
institutions, such as the Political Parties Registration 
Commission (PPRC). The delegation emphasized that the NEC 
must devote more attention to and improve communications with 
the political parties and the media. 
 
WILL THERE BE A CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM? 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) In January 2007, the Government appointed a 
constitutional reform committee, in line with recommendations 
of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC). However, 
there has been little information available concerning the 
scope of their work. With only four months remaining until 
the elections, observers had judged that the referendum would 
not occur at the same time as the national elections. 
 
¶11.  (C) However, it now appears that the GoSL still plans to 
hold a constitutional referendum on election day. It is still 
 
FREETOWN 00000202  003 OF 003 
 
 
not known what the scope of the referendum will be. The NEC 
is trying to dissuade the Government from holding the 
referendum, arguing that it would add considerable costs and 
logistical difficulties to an already challenging process. 
There is little time to move forward on proposed changes; 
Parliament will be dissolving possibly in June, and voters 
would need time to be educated on the proposed reforms. The 
time for a constructive public debate in advance of a 
referendum is simply running out. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12. (C) Overall, the international community is satisfied 
with conduct of the registration process. UN officials 
working with the NEC were encouraged by the high registration 
numbers and the fact that nearly 47 percent were women. The 
process was also relatively violence-free. However, the three 
major political parties continue to voice considerable 
reservations about the process. The PMDC and APC, the two 
main opposition parties, have leveled numerous accusations 
against the ruling SLPP and appear to be making a case that 
the process is not credible in the event they lose at the 
polls. While the APC appears more moderate in its willingness 
to work with the NEC and PPRC, the PMDC's attitude is 
worrisome. The PMDC's founder and Presidential aspirant, 
Charles Margai, has consistently declared that the NEC is 
totally untrustworthy, which bodes ill for how he and his 
party might pursue post electoral challenges. Margai is the 
son and nephew of prime ministers and arrogantly views the 
presidency as his birthright. The opposition parties, claim 
that Sierra Leoneans are fed up with the current 
administration resonates with many voters, and the opposition 
and its supporters may not accept the results as credible if 
the ruling SLPP wins at the polls. 
 
¶13. (C) Although the NEC has not yet announced the official 
start of the campaigning season, which will most likely begin 
in June, all parties are in full campaign-mode, which they 
blithely refer to as "political sensitization." As we move 
closer towards July, we are seeing indications that tensions 
are mounting. While things may be relatively calm through the 
actual elections, there is a possibility of unrest if the 
parties are not happy with the announced electoral results. 
END COMMENT. 
HULL