Samura Kamara, right and President Bio

Abubakar Hashim/ Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has once again demonstrated an unflinching commitment to the preservation of democratic tenets, despite imminent and visible chaos and uproar, that would have led to unimaginable bloodshed in the country.

What is more commendable is the amazing performance and votes secured by the opposition APC’s Samura Kamara, competing with an incumbent President Bio, whose policies and programs have received widespread applause and accolades, despite burning domestic global challenges.

President Bio, a retired general, used his military mystique and acumen to swing into a strategic electoral alliance with the opposition NGC and even won over key opposition APC chieftains like former VP Victor Foe and Alfa Kanu, to garner more votes. He succeeded in this strategy.

But the great lessons from the just concluded elections point to Samura Kamara. A technocrat of immeasurable value, he stunned many with the large votes he secured, despite Bio’s sterling policies, his strategic electoral alliance, cross carpeting of key opposition figures and incumbency of power.

Samura Kamara, 72, with his two successful performances, 2018 and 2023, might not be energetic enough at 77, to contest, even if the APC party field him in the next 2028 elections. Time will int tell!

Another lesson from yesterday’s concluded elections is the amiable and shining encomium added to West Africa’s democratic credentials, despite severe hiccups and setbacks in three West African countries, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, where there are military governments in power.

Sierra Leone’s ECSL Declares Maada Bio Re-elected

The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) has declared incumbent President Julius Maada Bio re-elected after announcing the remaining 40% of votes.

President Bio polled 1,566,932 or 56%, while his arch-rival, Samura Kamara, polled 1,148,262 or 41,16% of total votes

A peacefully contested election, though with isolated challenges, Sierra Leone has, once again, demonstrated a landmark achievement in its democratic credentials, two decades after the 11-year-old war was officially declared over by late former President Tejan Kabba.

Bio declared winner of Sierra Leone elections

With the largest international and local observers in the just concluded elections in Sierra Leone, amid hype and tensions, West Africa has again achieved an amiable and successful electoral victory.

This is a landmark development, a far cry from the military dictatorship in Mali, Burkina Faso and neighbouring Guinea

President Bio will rule for another five-year term, amid economic hardship.

President Bio Sworn in Shortly After ECSL Declared Him Re-Elected

With President Bio’s  1,566,932 votes or 56% of total valid votes cast, against

Samura Kamara’s 1,248,272 or 41.16 of total valid votes cast, with 21 other candidates receiving a combined vote of less than 3%, President Bio was immediately sworn in, in accordance with the 1991 constitution

Below is the full breakdown of the ECSL Press Statement regarding the results:

S/election results 1

S/L election results 2

S/L election3