Abubakar Hashim
Contrary to widespread reports that he was stressed out of the job as the Chief Electoral Boss in Sierra Leone, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone ECSL, Mohamed Konneh, has revealed to TheNEWS, via telephone call, that it was a decision long conceived and agreed by his family.
“ Since I left the AfDB, to the FIU, I never intended to work in any government office. I took up the ECSL job in July 2020 and it will end in July 2025 when I will step aside”
He went on to state that as his term expires, though it can be renewed as it is the normal procedure with past chairmen, he wants to fulfil his earlier conceived decision. “ I m not under any pressure from any quarters, contrary to social media reports, to quit, as it is a decision long conceived and taken, due to my past professional engagements“, Konneh reasoned.
Sierra Leone had recently been in a political crisis, with the opposition APC party boycotting major public engagements. It’s members of parliament boycotted sittings, but have since resumed. The party also withdrew from the Tripartite peace talks, brokered by the ECOWAS, AU and UN, but later agreed in the peace talks last week.
Chairman Mohamed Konneh is the first to serve one term of 5 years in the electoral history of the country.
Political pundits say he is a professional who has kept to his word before taking up the crucial assignment as the Chief Electoral Manager.
Konneh further revealed to the NEWS that he will now retire to farming, as it is the only viable way to boost the country’s development.
*Abubakar Hashim is the West Africa Bureau Chief of TheNEWS Magazine, based in Sierra Leone