Sierra Leone’s Bio wins second term

Julius Maada Bio has been re-elected as president of Sierra Leone, according to the electoral commission. Bio, 59, won 56.17% of the vote, while his challenger, Samura Kamara, received 41.16%.

“By the powers invested in me … I hereby certify that Bio Julius Maada … [is] duly elected president,” Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohammed Konneh said on Tuesday.

Winning candidates are required to get 55 percent of votes, and Bio narrowly avoided a second round.

Kamara swiftly rejected the results alleging irregularities. The 72-year-old said that he “categorically” rejected the results. “It is a sad day for our beloved country. It is a frontal attack on our fledgling democracy,” he tweeted.

“These results are NOT credible and I categorically reject the outcome so announced by the electoral commission,” he wrote.

The electoral commission's announcement of Bio's victory came after both parties claimed they have won.

Kamara alleged that security forces had opened fire on his party's headquarters, but police denied this. His party, the APC had already disputed the vote tallying, alleging a lack of inclusiveness, transparency, and responsibility by the election commission.

They pointed to the lack of information about which polling stations or districts the ballots were coming from.

The APC said it “will not accept these fake and cooked up results”.

In a follow-up statement, they alleged “over-voting” in some areas and said the party “continues to reject” the “fabricated results” and “reaffirms our victory”.

During a news conference on Monday, European Union observers expressed their concerns about the lack of transparency and communication from the electoral authority, which has led to mistrust in the electoral process

The monitors reported witnessing incidents of violence at seven polling stations during voting hours and at three others during the closing and counting stages.

There were apprehensions that further unrest could occur as the results were announced, especially if none of the 13 candidates managed to secure an outright victory

The United States also voiced its concerns about the lack of transparency in the counting process.

According to Konneh, any citizen who lawfully voted is allowed to submit challenges to the Supreme Court within seven days of the election results being declared.

In response to the provisional results released on Monday, Bio, the incumbent, addressed the nation and urged citizens to maintain peace.

The June 24 election marked the fifth since the end of Sierra Leone's civil war in 2002. However, it took place against a backdrop of high unemployment, inflation, and heightened violent rhetoric.

Bio, a former coup leader in the 1990s prioritized education and women's rights during his first term. However, his administration faced growing frustration due to economic hardships.

Rising prices triggered unusually violent protests last year.

The World Bank has reported that Sierra Leone's economic downturn has hindered hopes of recovery, with widespread underemployment and over half of the population living in poverty.

Bio has faced mounting criticism due to the debilitating economic conditions, which Kamara, his opponent, pledged to address.

With nearly 60 percent of the population facing poverty and high youth unemployment rates, Sierra Leone continues to grapple with significant challenges.

AEP

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