By Mohamed Kamara
The Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat (TSCS) has reported major strides in the implementation of the Tripartite Recommendations, with several key institutions surpassing the halfway mark in achieving their targets.
Speaking at a donor coordination meeting hosted by the Irish Embassy in Freetown, Tripartite Coordinator Ngolo Katta expressed satisfaction with the level of progress made so far.
“I marvel as I address you; I am impressed at the volume of work done; and I am curious to record more progress as we approach the close of this year. The path is clearer, the trajectory is revealing, and the outcome predictable. We now know where we will arrive, but there is little certainty about when,” he told development partners.
The update comes amid growing international attention on Sierra Leone’s political and electoral reform efforts. The Tripartite Coordinator said a maiden inter-agency meeting had been convened with election management bodies (EMBs) and relevant state institutions to assess the state of implementation.
The Secretariat also held a partnership meeting with key non-state actors, including the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG), Independent Radio Network (IRN), Talking Drum Studio, and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ). These organisations are working in tandem with the Independent Media Commission (IMC) and Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) to review key regulatory acts and increase public awareness on the Tripartite process.
“It requires huge financial commitment for both the Secretariat and implementing agencies to meet expectations within the timeframe,” Ngolo Katta said, noting the critical support of development partners.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) currently manages a basket fund to support civic education activities related to the Tripartite. In the coming weeks, the TSCS is set to roll out nationwide civic education campaigns and media training focused on reporting the Tripartite process accurately and responsibly.
According to statistical data from the TSCS:
- ECSL, PPRC, ONS, and the Attorney General’s Office have each achieved over 50% implementation progress.
- Similarly, SLBC, IMC, and the Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB) have also crossed the 50% completion mark.
These gains, Katta noted, are the result of strategic coordination between the Office of the Chief Minister, Attorney General’s Office, Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU), EMBs, development partners, political parties, the media, and civil society.
Despite the progress, development partners raised questions around the availability of disaggregated election data and the operational versus administrative roles within ECSL. In response, Ngolo Katta confirmed that a consultant has been commissioned to review voter registration mechanisms and the results management system, while a management and functional review of ECSL is underway to resolve overlaps in operations and administration.
