Sierra Leone radio station goes off before US ambassador talk

A outstanding radio station in Sierra Leone went off air Wednesday 16 August 2023 shortly earlier than a pre-recorded interview with the US ambassador highlighting issues in regards to the basic election was on account of be broadcast.

Radio Democracy 98.1 quickly went off the airwaves throughout Wednesday’s breakfast programme when an interview with US Ambassador David Reimer, recorded a day earlier, was on account of be broadcast.

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What info was within the leaked recording?

In a leaked recording of a part of the interview authenticated by the embassy, Reimer may be heard enumerating Washington’s issues in regards to the disputed June 24 vote and “the integrity and the credibility of the outcomes” introduced by the Electoral Fee of Sierra Leone (ECSL).

“The USA is anxious about irregularities within the outcomes that had been introduced by the ECSL — that features a huge distinction between the ECSL introduced outcomes and the parallel vote tabulation, in addition to inconsistencies that had been analysed by home and worldwide observers,” Reimer stated.

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“All of this stuff elevate questions in our thoughts… in regards to the integrity of the official outcomes.” Worldwide observers had famous “statistical inconsistencies” and condemned a “lack of transparency” within the poll depend.

A nationwide commentary group additionally discovered vital discrepancies between voter outcomes for presidential, parliamentary and native council elections.

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Sierra Leone waited for the interview to be aired in useless

Sarah Van Horne, a US embassy public affairs officer, confirmed to AFP that the interview had been recorded on Tuesday to be broadcast on Wednesday however that it was not aired.

She stated the embassy has been advised it is going to as a substitute air on Thursday. Reimer affirmed within the interview that President Julius Maada Bio, who received 56 per cent of the presidential vote, in response to official outcomes, was president.

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However, he stated, “What we have now not completed is congratulated him.” He stated the US wouldn’t change its work “with the folks of Sierra Leone”, together with well being programmes, however would overview its government-to-government programmes, together with a Millennium Problem Company (MCC) compact grant value lots of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.

“Within the 12 months or two previous the compact, we had been very clear with the federal government of Sierra Leone that with the intention to get a compact, they wanted to have a good, free, open and clear election,” he stated.

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“Sierra Leone had completed all the things else as much as that time to get a compact… (however) given the truth that there are all kinds of questions in regards to the outcomes, we’re looking at all the things, and that features the MCC compact.”

He stated Washington want to see an “outdoors, impartial take a look at the election” and a authorities dialogue with civil society and political events.

Bio, in early August, introduced {that a} committee comprising members of civil society and improvement companions could be set as much as overview the vote underneath the management of his vp.

However, Reimer stated within the interview, “It’s simply not attainable for somebody who was a candidate within the election to then take a look at the method and be not biased.”

The opposition All Folks’s Congress (APC), which disputes the outcomes, has refused to take part in native or nationwide authorities, with most MPs boycotting parliament because it opened for enterprise in July.

Reimer known as on the APC to not boycott the federal government and to serve the Sierra Leoneans who voted for the get together.

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