After receiving his voter registration card on April 7, 2023, former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, called upon the security agencies, PPRC, and the government to ensure that the upcoming elections are free and fair. In a tweet, he urged all eligible Sierra Leoneans to collect their voter cards as soon as possible, emphasizing the importance of an accurate, verifiable, and credible voter roll in achieving credible elections.
Koroma defined free and fair elections as those that create a level playing field for all candidates, without certain institutions or government officials using their positions of power to disadvantage political parties. Drawing on his experience observing elections in Africa, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that the outcome of an election is not determined before Election Day, as disputed elections are a major source of problems in Africa.
Koroma noted that a disputed election is one in which the playing field is not level, and other players feel that certain advantages or disadvantages have been conferred upon their opponents. He stressed that it is the responsibility of all political parties to work together to ensure that the election process is transparent, peaceful, and fair, and not just about winning at all costs.