Opposition Accuses Sierra Leone’s Military of Election Weekend Assault
New York TimesJul 03, 2023
Sierra Leone's incumbent president, Julius Maada Bio, was sworn in for a second term on Tuesday shortly after the country's electoral authority declared him the winner of Saturday's presidential polls.
Bio was re-elected with 56.17% of the vote, narrowly clearing the 55% threshold to avoid a runoff, while the leading opposition candidate Samura Kamara of the All People's Congress (APC) came in second with 41.16%.
Bio's win is primarily the result of the APC's internal discord and weak leadership. Meanwhile, the country's economy is in free fall, and unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is at record highs, as is inflation. Sierra Leone has no economic, social, or political hope if the next five years under Bio are anything like the past.
Through their clear vote, Sierra Leoneans have expressed their confidence in Bio to address the country's challenges. Backed by a strong mandate, the Bio administration can focus on continuing its transformative and inclusive economic and political agenda. Moreover, with the renewed holding of peaceful and democratic elections, Sierra Leone has joined the ranks of stable democracies and serves as a model for young democracies worldwide.