Officials who, according to the United States government, are responsible for undermining democracy in Sierra Leone are subject to visa restrictions.
The action comes in response to the contentious general election of June 2023, which Western observers claim lacked transparency.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Thursday that the US will place visa restrictions on officials who are suspected of meddling in or rigging elections as well as those who are suspected of intimidating voters, election observers, and members of the civil society.
“Under this policy, the United States will pursue visa restrictions for those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Sierra Leone, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; intimidation of voters, election observers, or civil society organizations through threats or acts of physical violence; or the abuse or violation of related human rights in Sierra Leone,” Mr. Blinken said in a statement.
Despite some local and regional observers, such as the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), certifying the election as free and fair, the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) received harsh criticism from Western observers who criticized the process for lacking transparency.
The main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) thinks President Julius Maada Bio and his party were given an unfair advantage in the election.
With 56.17% of the vote in the first round, Bio was proclaimed the victor of the presidential election, and his Sierra Leone People's Party earned a resounding majority in the House of Representatives.
The APC, whose candidate Dr. Samura Kamara received 41.16 percent of the vote, has chosen not to take part in administration by abstaining from parliament and other institutions with a lesser degree of authority. It demanded that the election be redone.
The opposition party declined to utilize the legal system to seek restitution as well, claiming its lack of independence. It urged Western nations to implement penalties against the president and his top aides, whom it considers accountable for allegedly manipulating the election.
However, Secretary Blinken did not immediately provide information on the people who would be affected by the US visa policy; instead, she merely said that the policy would apply to "specific individuals" and not the Sierra Leoneans. These limitations may also apply to the targeted persons' family members, he said.
“Persons who undermine the democratic process in Sierra Leone—including in the lead-up to, during, and following Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections—may be found ineligible for US visas under this policy,” he said, stressing that the decision reflected the commitment of the United States to support Sierra Leoneans’ aspirations to have free and fair elections that “demonstrate the will of the people and strengthen democracy and the rule of law.”
The US administration had requested that the Sierra Leonean government launch an inquiry into the procedure and make sure that any legal omissions that it believed contributed to the issue were closed. The government formed a committee to look into the problem, but US officials claimed the right individuals weren't given the job and recommended the formation of an impartial panel.
In July, President Bio vehemently denounced Western meddling in the nation's political process, claiming that no foreigner had the authority to certify the results of its elections.