The opposition All People’s Congress ( APC ) is once more the majority political party in the Sierra Leone Parliament . They defeated the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP) in the Constituency 056 Parliamentary Bye-Elections in the Tonkolili District last Saturday , according to the Elections Commission of Sierra Leone , who declared the result on Tuesday.
In all, one Parliamentary bye election was successfully conducted in Tonkolili District, and five Local Council bye elections were also conducted in Kenema, Falaba, Karene and Port Loko Districts by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) on the 25th Day of June, 2022, in accordance with the relevant electoral legal framework. APC won 4 of these bye-elections and the SLPP 2.
According to the ECSL Chief Elections Commissioner Mohamed Kanneh : , “In exercise, therefore, of the powers conferred on me as the National Returning Officer, by Section 94 Subsection (4) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No. 4 of 2012),I hereby declare Sesay Jawah of the All People’s Congress (APC), who having polled 5,487, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Member of Parliament for Constituency 056 in the Tonkolili District. ” The Commission announced that 10,417 out of 20,581 registered constituents casted their votes representing 50.6%, noting that the total valid votes cast was 9,675,and there were 742 invalid votes. The vacant seat was created in Tonkolili District, Constituency 056 following the inauguration ceremony of former Member of Parliament Hon. Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh as Paramount Chief of Sambaia Chiefdom.
Mohamed Kamara of the All Peoples Congress (APC) polled 525, and won the Councillor seat for Ward 138 in the Falaba District.
Idrissa Bangura of the All Peoples Congress (APC) polled 1,227 and won the Councillor for Ward 216 in the Karene District and James Gassimu Kamara, also of the All Peoples Congress (APC) polled 1,661 and won the seat for Councillor at Ward 252 in the Port Loko District.
The ruling SLPP won two bye-elections seats last Saturday. Jeneba Sheriff of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SILPP), having polled 2,993, being the highest number of valid votes cast, was duly elected Councillor for Ward 031 in the Kenema District, while Mohamed Amara Turay of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), who polled 747, being the highest number of valid votes cast, was duly elected Councillor for Ward 212 in the Karene District.
Political campaigns for the bye-elections were marred by violence perpetrated mainly by the security forces who intimidated and in some case committed violent acts against supporters of the opposition.
However, the British High Commission, the U.S. Embassy , and the European Union ( EU ) and the United Nations (UN) offices in Freetown sent elections observers during the polling and counting of votes and this made all the difference.
We want to commend these international stakeholders for their commitment to ensure free , fair and credible elections in Sierra Leone.
