Julius Maada Bio has been officially declared the winner of the presidential election in Sierra Leone.
According to the president of the electoral commission, Julius Maada Bio was re-elected with 56.17 percent of the vote, beating his primary competitor, Samura Kamara, who received 41.16 percent.
However the result of the election has been challenged by the country’s biggest opposition party.
The APC had previously contested the vote tally and issued a statement on Monday criticising the election commission for a purported lack of inclusion, transparency, and responsibility.
The election on June 24 was the fifth since the end of the civil war in Sierra Leone in 2002. Election day went through without any problems in the presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections.
About Sierra Leone Elections
In Sierra Leone, the president and the unicameral Parliament are both elected on a national basis. Two or three major parties compete for power in Sierra Leone’s multi-party system.
Members of Parliament and the President are each elected to serve a five-year term. In total, there are 124 legislators in the Parliament, with 112 being directly elected by the people and 12 being chosen through indirect voting.
The President appoints, with Parliament’s approval, a five-member Electoral Commission (chairman plus four commissioners). In addition to overseeing elections, referendums, and the registration of voters and political parties, the commission is also in charge of voter registration. The President shall appoint four individuals to serve on the Political Parties Registration Commission, which shall be an independent body. Voters must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind. Every vote will remain private.
