The bye-election for a council seat in the northern Kambia District is being contested by the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC), the National Grand Coalition (NGC), and the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).
The election slated for March 9 will be the second attempt, after the first one on 29 September 2018 ended in confusion, leading to a cancellation of the results.
At least one person, a 24-year old boy, died in clashes between supporters of the SLPP and APC, which used to dominate the area before the emergence of the NGC towards the 2018 general elections.
The signing of the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) was spearheaded by Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the Office of National Security (ONS).
The parties subscribed to eight points, among them a commitment to promote tolerance and condemn any act of violence and intimidation by their respective supporters.
They also commit to respecting the will of the people and to accept the outcome of the vote.
The elections bodies and the security representatives also committed to a set of agreements, including the creation of conducive environment for voting to take place and to ensure security for all parties.
This development comes as Sierra Leone seeks to find a lasting solution to protracted elections violence.