As Sierra Leone edges closer to elections for president, members of parliament, paramount chief, and local council in May and June, 2023, different stakeholders in this election have stepped up preparations. Among these is pro-democracy civil society organisation, National Election Watch (NEW Sierra Leone), which has oriented key stakeholders on election observation strategy. One issue that is emerging is the question of money in the country’s elective politics.

During the orientation, the political parties’ registration commission (PPRC) staff were oriented on elements of monitoring political party financing.  The amended Political Parties Act of Sierra Leone has provisions political financing that should be enforced during the coming elections.

Secrets Known has been informed that the PPRC has designed forms to monitor finances of political parties and candidates including independent candidates ahead of and after the election which could provide a rich learning point for political party finance monitoring on the continent.

There is an interest in regulating money in political parties from the perspective of leveling the electoral field in Sierra Leone.  Current efforts by the PPRC to raise awareness about new provisions in the law point to this fact.  The enforcement powers given to the body opens the opportunity for testing the extent to which regulating of money in politics in Sierra Leone can be pursued. 

International IDEA is supporting state institutions to strengthen election and democratic processes in Sierra Leone and the orientation of new PPRC staff was targeted at enhancing their capacity to monitor and regulate political parties at the national and regional levels.  It focused on the mandate, changes in the law, communication and reporting.