The West African state of Sierra Leone has successfully pulled-off its third consecutive peaceful, democratic and credible election, since the end of the country’s brutal civil war in 2002. The net effect of the three elections: the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections of 2007 and the Local Government Elections of 2004 and 2008 have been to reinforce the concept of accountability of leaders who must answer to voters as well as to bring forward the issue of women’s participation in politics and governance. However, it is ironic that one of Africa’s smallest countries (the size of South Carolina) with the most turbulent recent past: a decade of war displacing, killing or maiming over one million people and a history of four different Heads of States in seven years (1991-1998), could now earn the accolade of being a model for elections management in the third world. This achievement is particularly significant when viewed against the background of countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya turning out electoral disasters that have made a mockery of elections being the source of the conflict rather than the conflict resolution mechanisms, they were purported to be.

Resources from the American people, which supported elections management, civic and voter education, conflict mitigation, campaign skills development for women candidates and multi-media initiatives, have continued to make this incredible leap possible. Previous elections in Sierra Leone were marred by violence and serious electoral fraud thereby rendering their credibility questionable. Immediately following the first post-conflict election in 2002, USAID joined forces with other stakeholders to reform the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and also supported the creation of a unique body, the Political Parties Registration Commission to register and monitor the conduct of political parties. A restructured electoral commission under the dynamic leadership of Madam Christiana Thorpe proved to be the icing on the cake. Her candidness and devotion to duty coupled with the technical support from National Democratic Institute (NDI), IFES and the UN played an essential role in ensuring the credibility of the elections.

The August 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections and the subsequent September 2007 Presidential run-offs were the second national polls since the end of the war and the first to be organized by indigenous Sierra Leoneans without UN supervision. The outcome of the elections indicate that Sierra Leone is prepared to embrace democratic values and processes and uphold the decisions of appropriate national institutions in accordance with the rule of law. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) and the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), both supported by USAID, earned remarkable levels of public confidence and acclaim. Almost all observation missions, local as well as international, lauded the 2007 Elections as peaceful, transparent and democratic. Civil society groups, not least those supported by USAID, galvanized a voter turn-out of close to 75% and successfully reinforced non-violent campaign messages throughout the electoral process.

On July 5, 2008, Sierra Leone held its second Local Government Election in forty years, after Local Councils were abolished some 36 years earlier. Once again, Sierra Leoneans were determined to build on the gains of the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, as not even the inclement weather and intermittent threats of violence could deter voters and electoral officers. At stake were 475 local government seats in the country’s 19 local councils. A total of 1,324 candidates participated, including 224 women. This represented significant increase in women’s participation compared to previous elections and a step forward for Sierra Leone, which ranked dead last on the UNDP’s Gender Development Index. Official results indicate that 86 women were successful and that the number of elected women councilors nearly doubled from 11% to nearly 20%. US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, June Carter Perry, applauded the elections as exemplary to nations around Africa and the world, noting that she was encouraged to see significant levels of participation by women as candidates and voters.

The July 2008 Local elections were not without their shortcomings. Infractions such as political intimidation and violence against women, opposition and independent candidates rendered some wards uncontestable. The global economic malaise and its attendant food shortages did not help either. Consequently, average national voter turn-out dropped from 55% in the 2004 Local Government Elections to around 40%. But more significant was the unprecedented resolve of local communities, and in particular women, to have their voices heard and exercise control over the future of their country. For Koinadugu in the North, district statistics on women’s welfare were always challenging to the extent of inspiring fourteen women contestants, three of whom had to withdraw for the same reasons they got involved in the first place: male domination in politics. USAID has supported the work of these brave women, and the large but remote Koinadugu district now has six female councilors where it never had any before. Also significant are the results for the Bonthe Municipal Council where two-thirds of the councilors are now women and the Makeni City Council where about half of the local legislators will be women.

On the whole, the good showing of women in the July 2008 will virtually whet the appetites of advocates for increased women’s participation in politics and governance, in a nation that statistically has more women than men.