CCSL, IRCSL Engage Faith Actors on Elections

The Inter Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) in collaboration with Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) with support from Christian Aid engaged Religious Leaders from across the country on issues of elections and how religious leaders can contribute to ensure a credible, free, fair, and non-violent elections.

The two-day event which took place from the 3rd to the 4th April 2023 was held at the conference hall of CCSL in Freetown.

The President of CCSL, Rev Henry Samuels said the purpose for the continuous engagement with religious leaders on elections is to reach a wider audience with the non-violent messages of elections and getting the electorate understand the electoral systems that would be used in the June 24th, 2023, elections.

“Council of Churches in Sierra Leone has earned the trust and respect of the people in terms of elections sensitization and observation, and we will continue to work in the interest of all Sierra Leoneans to maintain the peace in our beloved Country,” Rev Samuels said.

The Second Vice President of the Inter-Religious Council, Haja Mariama Karama said, “Religion is power and religious leaders have so much power to influence people positively because people listen to us.”

She added that religious leaders have been and will continue to be moral guarantors and guarantors of peace. She encouraged religious leaders to take the forth coming elections seriously to maintain and enhance the peace of Sierra Leone.

Giving an overview of the programme, CCSL Project Manager, Rev. Moses Khanu, said one of the objectives of the programme which is “General Elections Observation in Sierra Leone for Religious Leaders” is to enhance and build the capacity of faith actors to deliver high quality election observation and conflict management. He said faith actors would be capacitated with the necessary knowledge and skills to play their roles and perform their responsibilities in the electoral process.