By: Yusuf Ibrahim Kamara
A Coalition of Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Sierra Leone has come together to issue a strong statement defending the integrity, credibility, and work of the National Election Watch (NEW), following recent remarks made during parliamentary proceedings that many observers described as misleading and mischaracterizing the organization.
In their press statement, the CSOs expressed “grave concerns” over statements made by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, during the confirmation and approval process of the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone. The Deputy Speaker’s comments allegedly suggested that election observers “are trying to fuel conflict in this country” and that NEW “is both faceless and lacks credibility.”
The coalition condemned these remarks, describing them as “clearly aimed at discrediting NEW, its leadership, and the 400 constituent member organizations,” while also potentially undermining the important work that NEW continues to do in collaboration with the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone. According to the civil society groups, such statements risk creating unnecessary divisions between election stakeholders and weakening public confidence in independent observation processes.
NEW’s leadership, including its Strategic Management Committee (SMC), regional and district coordinators, and partners, has historically played a crucial role in monitoring Sierra Leone’s elections. The press statement highlights that NEW has contributed significantly to ensuring peaceful electoral processes, including voter education, parallel vote tabulation, and independent monitoring of the entire electoral cycle. Since 2002, NEW’s broad membership and nationwide presence have enabled it to successfully observe general elections and maintain a reputation for impartiality and professionalism.
The civil society groups emphasized the critical role of both local and international election observers. “Comments portraying NEW and its partners as adversaries to the Electoral Commission, rather than as constructive partners, are not only inaccurate but potentially damaging to electoral governance in Sierra Leone,” the statement read. They noted that Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has himself participated in NEW’s activities, witnessed the coalition’s constructive engagement, and interacted with its membership across the country.
The statement further underscored NEW’s ongoing commitment to work collaboratively with all election management bodies in preparation for the forthcoming general elections in 2028. NEW and its partners aim to continue fulfilling their electoral monitoring role with integrity, in full compliance with national laws. As the press release notes, NEW is recognized both nationally and internationally as a leading coalition of domestic election observers in Sierra Leone.
In addition, NEW holds key positions within regional and international election observer networks. The organization chairs the West Africa Election Observer Network (WAEON), serves as chair of the Africa Election Observers Network (AfeoNet), and is a member of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM). Through these platforms, NEW has led several international expert election observer missions in Africa and beyond, solidifying its reputation as a credible and effective institution in promoting transparent, free, and fair electoral processes.
The coalition of civil society organizations concluded by reaffirming their support for NEW, emphasizing that “any attempt to discredit the organization or its leadership undermines the democratic process and the collaborative efforts needed to safeguard free, fair, and credible elections in Sierra Leone.” They called for constructive engagement and accurate representation of election observation efforts in all public discussions and parliamentary deliberations.
This latest statement marks a decisive intervention by civil society to protect the independence and reputation of election monitoring in Sierra Leone, highlighting the critical role of organizations like NEW in strengthening democratic governance and accountability in the country.