According to the electoral commission, incumbent Julius Maada Bio won the presidential election in Sierra Leone. With 56.17 percent, he was re-elected for a second term.
Bio’s rival Samura Kamara – an economist – from the largest opposition party All People’s Congress (APC), received 41.16 percent of the vote in Saturday’s vote. On Monday, the APC denounced, among other things, a lack of transparency on the part of the electoral commission and pointed out that it was not known which districts or polling stations had been counted. “We completely reject the publication of such falsified numbers by the chief election commissioner,” the party said.
EU election observers report violence
European Union election observers told a press conference that they believe a lack of transparency and communication on the part of the electoral authorities has led to distrust in the electoral process. They also received reports of violent incidents in six regions, the observers said. They also witnessed violence themselves at seven polling stations during opening hours and at three others while they were closed and the ballots were being counted.
The observers also condemned the police crackdown on the opposition on Sunday. Security forces had fired tear gas at the APC party headquarters. The officials had to break up a crowd of people from which “people on the street were being harassed,” the police justified their actions.
Opposition candidate Kamara said on Twitter that the security forces had also used live ammunition. According to an APC spokeswoman, a woman was killed. The police have not yet confirmed the fatality.
Already on Wednesday there had been clashes between security forces and party supporters at the APC party headquarters after the party had called for nationwide “peaceful” protests.
President Bio addressed the nation Monday after interim results were released, urging citizens to keep the peace. “We all have an interest in peace – during and after the results of these elections are announced,” he said in a televised address. In the West African coastal state, the parliament and local councils were also reelected on Saturday.
According to the United Nations index, Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world.
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Source: DW
