Sierra Leonean general election, 2007
Encyclopedia
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Sierra Leone
on 11 August 2007. Seven candidates competed in the first round of the presidential election; no candidate received the necessary 55% of the vote to win in the first round, and a second round was held between the top two candidates, Ernest Bai Koroma
of the All People's Congress
(APC) and Solomon Berewa
of the Sierra Leone People's Party
(SLPP), on 8 September. According to official results, Koroma won the election with 54.6% of the vote.
566 candidates stood in the parliamentary election, in which 112 seats, out of a total of 124, were at stake. Voting for seats in parliament was done on a first-past-the-post
constituency basis, rather than the system of proportional representation
used previously. 12 members of parliament were chosen by traditional chiefs, who have been considered to be allied with the SLPP, in a separate election.
was named as the party's vice-presidential candidate. Ernest Bai Koroma was nominated as the presidential candidate of the main opposition party APC, with Samuel Sam-Sumana
as his vice-presidential candidate. Charles Margai
was nominated as the presidential candidate of the People's Movement for Democratic Change
(PMDC), with Ibrahim Tejan-Jalloh as his vice-presidential candidate. Margai formed the PMDC as a split from the SLPP in 2005, and this was seen as weakening the latter party. Prior to the election, Berewa, Koroma, and Margai were considered the main three presidential candidates.
In May 2007, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) delayed the election by two weeks from the previously set date of 28 July, saying that it was necessary to have additional time after parliament was dissolved in late June 2007. This decision was sharply criticized by the opposition, since it meant the election would be held when the rainy season was at its peak, potentially making voting difficult for many people. On 11 May, NEC Chairperson Christiana Thorpe rejected requests for the election to be delayed until December, saying that it would be unconstitutional to hold them so late. Acknowledging the impact the rain would likely have on voter turnout, Thorpe said that there would be more polling stations in order to make voting more convenient.
APC candidate Koroma was allegedly the target of an assassination attempt in the early hours of July 23, 2007, when, according to the APC, a group of armed men led by Tom Nyuma
, who was a participant in the 1992 coup that ousted the APC, attempted to enter his hotel room in the southern city of Bo
to kill him. In a letter to the Inspector General of Police in early August, Berewa alleged that the APC and the PMDC were planning to disrupt the election and intimidate SLPP supporters. He claimed that they planned to send their own supporters dressed in Operational Support Division uniforms to polling stations. APC Secretary-General Victor Foh accused the SLPP of planning electoral fraud.
, and the south-eastern cities of Bo
Kenema
and Koidu Town. In July, police
arrested scores of people after clashes in Bo between SLPP and PMDC supporters.
s. Voting was reported to be peaceful, although in some places young people were said to have disrupted vote counting, leading to increased security measures. An electoral commission official described the voting process as "smooth and successful". Turnout was reported to be high, despite the rains, with long lines at polling stations. Observers gave the election a positive appraisal and placed voter turnout at more than 70%. Marie-Anne Isler, head of the European Union
observer mission, described voting as "well organized, positive and transparent", but also said that the SLPP enjoyed a strong advantage due to incumbency and the support of some traditional chiefs, and that it was "extremely dominant" in state television coverage. EU observers also said that Berewa appeared to have distributed money to voters at his home, a claim that the SLPP denounced as "baseless and unfounded".
Vote counting was done publicly at polling stations, with party representatives present. On August 13, Kabbah discouraged "provocative or inflammatory statements" and said that police would "deal firmly with any threats to the peace and stability of the nation". On the same day, NEC Chairperson Thorpe announced results from 7.4% of polling stations; out of these 150,374 votes, Koroma had 107,341 and Berewa had 33,041. Further results on August 14, from about 19% of polling stations, showed Koroma remaining well ahead of Berewa, with 204,774 votes against 106,487 for Berewa. Margai, in third place, had 43,904 votes. Meanwhile, United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon appealed for the preservation of "an atmosphere of calm and public order" and said that "any potential dispute" should be resolved "within the established legal channels".
On August 15, an APC spokesman claimed that, based on its own count, the party had won 61 seats in parliament, which would be a majority, although at the time official results for only four seats had been announced, two for the APC, one for the SLPP, and one for the PMDC. Partial results for the presidential election released by the National Electoral Commission on August 15, accounting for 34.3% of polling stations, showed Koroma still leading, although more narrowly; Koroma had 297,206 votes, compared to 227,353 for Berewa and 97,669 for Margai. Further results on August 16, accounting for 45.3% of polling stations, showed Koroma with 400,027 votes, Berewa with 310,321 votes, and Margai with 120,231 votes. Results from about 62% of polling stations on August 17 showed Koroma with 516,442 votes, Berewa with 421,812 votes, and Margai with 169,408 votes.
On August 18, results from 81% of polling stations showed Koroma with 44% of the vote and Berewa with 38%. On August 20, results from 93.1% of polling stations showed Koroma with 754,696 votes, Berewa with 654,756 votes, and Margai with 239,637 votes. In the parliamentary election, the APC had 21 seats, the SLPP had 10, and the PMDC had four. Turnout is placed at about 76%.
On August 19, Margai stated his support for Koroma in the second round of the election. On August 20, the PMDC's Karamoh Kabba explained what he said was the reasoning behind the decision: the PMDC sought to "ensure a more representative government, the survival of the PMDC as a political party and the creation of a third formidable political force for smooth running of democracy in Sierra Leone". According to Kabba, backing the APC would help to bridge the regional political divide marking Sierra Leone's politics (the SLPP and PMDC draw their main support from the south, while the APC draws its main support from the north), while backing the SLPP would deepen it; furthermore, he said that the APC had a natural reason to want the PMDC to survive, while the SLPP had a natural reason to want to destroy it. Margai's support for the APC provoked controversy in the PMDC, however, with some feeling that his decision was made without properly consulting the party.
SLPP spokesman Victor Reider expressed confidence for his party ahead of the second round, to be held in September, and said that the SLPP would warn voters about "the risk of destroying everything that we have been able to put together since 2002 when the war ended".
Full provisional results announced on August 23 showed Koroma with 815,523 votes (44.3%), Berewa with 704,012 votes (38.3%), and Margai with 255,499 votes (13.9%). Thorpe confirmed that a second round would be necessary between Koroma and Berewa. In the parliamentary election, the APC won 59 seats, the SLPP won 43 seats, and the PMDC won 10 seats. Turnout was placed at 75.8%.
Results by region reveal how Margai’s PMDC party cut into the SLPP’s support in the south and east. Especially significant
was the PMDC’s winning of 41% of the vote in the SLPP stronghold of Southern Province. In Northern Province, which has the
largest voting population, the APC maintained its support and Koroma got almost 77% of the vote, the largest share by region for any of the candidates. The APC also received strong support in Western Area. Comparing the first-round performances of the SLPP and APC presidential candidates in 2002 and 2007 makes clear the SLPP’s loss of ground in the south and east. While in 2002 the SLPP's candidate Kabbah won 92% and 95% in Eastern and Southern provinces, respectively, five years later the SLPP's candidate Berewa won just 66% and 46% there.
The SLPP’s biggest losses were in the Western Area districts around Freetown. While the SLPP won more than half the seats in Western Area parliamentary elections in 2002, voters turned away from the SLPP in droves and the party lost all 21 seats in Western Area to the APC in 2007.
Margai said on August 24 that the APC and the PMDC would campaign together for the second round. Koroma's campaign called for Berewa to recognize defeat and back out of the second round in order to save the money that would have to be spent on it, but the SLPP refused to do so. Reider predicted victory for Berewa and said that the government should receive credit for being democratic and law-abiding, enabling the APC to win the parliamentary election.
On August 25, the NEC confirmed the provisional results, announced that the second round of the presidential election would take place on September 8, and said that second round campaigning would take place from August 25 until September 6.
The results were strongly marked by the regional divide between support for the APC, which won overwhelmingly in the north and also by a large margin in the west, and the SLPP, which won in the south and east, although it split its support there with the PMDC. The parties performed poorly outside of their regional support bases; the APC won only two of its 59 parliamentary seats outside of the north and west. Koroma received his best results in Bombali District
(83.9%), Tonkolili District
(82.2%), and Port Loko District
(78.6%), while Berewa received his best results in Kailahun District
(77.1%), Kenema District
(63.0%), and Kono District
(57.1%). Margai received a majority only in Bonthe District
(61.1%).
Reider of the SLPP said that, despite "reservations over the conduct of the elections", his party accepted the results. The APC's Victor Foh said that his party accepted the results as well.
Foh alleged that a paramount chief in an eastern district had brought mercenaries from neighboring Guinea
to intimidate voters by firing near polling stations.
Two small parties, the National Democratic Alliance
(NDA) and the Peace and Liberation Party
(PLP), respectively led by Amadu Jalloh
, the fifth place presidential candidate, and Kandeh Baba Conteh
, the sixth place candidate, announced their support for Berewa in a press conference on August 27. Fourth place candidate Andrew Turay
of the Convention People's Party
(CPP) also announced his support for Berewa in early September.
After clashes between supporters of the two sides in Freetown and Koidu Town
, President Kabbah on August 27 warned that he would declare a state of emergency "if the current state of intimidation, molestation and violent acts is not stopped". A curfew was imposed in Koidu. In an interview with Voice of America
, Reider claimed that Berewa had actually received 20,000 more votes than Koroma and that there were irregularities, particularly in the north and west, regarding which he said the SLPP had requested an investigation from the NEC. He also blamed the violence on the APC. Clashes were reported in Segbwema
, in the south, on August 30, after SLPP supporters pelted an APC convoy with rocks; the local SLPP headquarters was burned. The violence led Koroma to end his campaigning in the south. Clashes erupted in Freetown on September 1 and reportedly left dozens of people injured; police intervened with tear gas. On the same day, Koroma and Berewa agreed to hold a peace march on September 3 in hopes of deescalating the violence. The two candidates also agreed to allow the police to handle their security, instead of entrusting it to private bodyguards.
Voter awareness of the concept of a second round and the need for it is said to be low, and it is speculated that voter turnout may be lower in the second round as a result. The NEC has been working to inform voters about the importance of the second round.
The peace march agreed to by Berewa and Koroma was eventually held on September 6, but it was boycotted by Koroma. The APC said that the SLPP had not corrected the problems that it said led to the previous violence and alleged that its supporters were being harassed that the Kamajor
militia, active during the civil war
, was being rearmed. Berewa made an appearance, but he did not participate in the actual march.
In the election on September 8, the parties traded accusations of harassment of their polling agents at polling stations. Berewa alleged that police mistreated SLPP agents and the SLPP's Alhaji Jah said there were reports that between 40 and 50 of his party's agents "were harassed, intimidated and taken out of polling stations". For his part, Koroma alleged that APC representatives were being harassed and kept away from polling stations in Kailahun. He also said that five APC agents were attacked and kidnapped in Bo and that many people had voted twice in Kenema
. Police imposed a curfew in Kailahun.
European Union observers gave a positive assessment of the day of the election. In a statement on September 10, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon praised the election as proceeding in a "generally orderly and peaceful atmosphere, in spite of the tensions and violence that marred the campaign period" and urged people to "exercise restraint".
As vote counting occurred, both the SLPP and the APC claimed to be ahead and both said that they would reject results from areas where their agents were allegedly not allowed access to polling stations. The SLPP's Reider said that in three districts in the north the party's agents were kept away from the polling stations, and that there were 50 polling stations where SLPP agents were not present; he alleged that SLPP agents were arrested for two hours and that people from the APC took advantage of this to stuff the ballot boxes. APC spokesman Alpha Kanu said that his party's agents had been unable to access polling stations in parts of Kailahun, Kenema, and Pujehun districts in the south.
The first official results, released by the NEC on September 10, showed Koroma well ahead with 64% of the vote against 36% for Berewa, based on results from slightly more than 20% of polling stations; however, officials said that these results came primarily from the west of the country, where the APC is stronger. Thorpe emphasized the importance of an "atmosphere of calm" while votes are counted and results are released. Koroma claimed victory, saying it was "not possible" for him to lose, but Reider of the SLPP accused him of "trying to steal victory" and said that according to the SLPP's figures, Berewa was in the lead. Reider was also strongly critical of a report from the EU's observers that alleged that the number of votes in parts of the south and east exceeded the number of registered voters there.
Results released on September 11, based on about 37% of polling stations, showed Koroma with about 60% of the vote and Berewa with about 40%. With 50.8% of the vote counted on 12 September, Koroma had about 58.5%; out of the country's 14 districts, Koroma and Berewa each led in seven of them. On the same day, Kabbah urged people to accept the final results when they are released, regardless of who is declared the winner.
Results released on September 13, with 76.1% of the vote counted, showed Koroma leading with 60.2% (859,144 votes) against 39.8% (567,449 votes) for Berewa. The APC's Alpha Kanu said that his party held an "unassailable lead" and was waiting for a concession from Berewa.
The SLPP's Reider, however, said that his party was filing a court injunction to prevent the publication of any further results due to what he described as discrepancies in the results. There have been allegations that the NEC has withheld some results from the SLPP's support bases in the south and east, and on September 15 a protest outside NEC offices was broken up by police.
On September 17, 2007, the NEC said that Koroma had won the election with 54.6% of the vote to Berewa's 45.4%; Koroma had 950,407 votes and Berewa had 789,651. Results from a total of 477 polling stations were invalidated because there were more ballots than there were registered voters: 426 of these polling stations were in the pro-SLPP Southeast, while 45 were in the Northern Province
and six were in the Western Area
. This decision was taken by Thorpe and two of the four Regional Commissioners; the two remaining Regional Commissioners, representing the south and east, left in protest when Koroma was declared the winner. Berewa promptly conceded defeat. According to Kanu, both Kabbah and Berewa called Koroma and congratulated him. Although the SLPP's injunction was scheduled to be heard on the same day, a judge postponed it. The official results can be challenged within seven days of the official proclamation.
Koroma was sworn in as President at State House in Freetown on 17 September, the same day that the results were announced, at a ceremony attended by Berewa and Kabbah. Koroma said on this occasion: "Let us begin the process of healing the wounds that suddenly and unnecessarily appeared during the course of this political campaign. Let us endeavour to reconcile ourselves as one nation under God." Shortly afterward, the SLPP headquarters in Freetown was looted. Police intervened, using tear gas and firing into the air to end the looting; some looters were reported arrested and at least one person was reported killed.
The 124 members of parliament were sworn in on September 25. Justice Abel Stronge was elected as Speaker and the APC's Victor Chukuma Johnson was elected as Deputy Speaker. Edward Turay
was chosen as Leader of the Majority Party, and Momoh Pujeh was chosen as Leader of the Minority Party.
Some in the SLPP have accused Kabbah of contributing to its defeat, alleging that he betrayed the party due to distrust and jealousy that he harbored towards Berewa.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
on 11 August 2007. Seven candidates competed in the first round of the presidential election; no candidate received the necessary 55% of the vote to win in the first round, and a second round was held between the top two candidates, Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma is the fourth and current President of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007 at the State House in the capital Freetown, shortly after being declared the winner of a tense run-off in the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential election with 54.6% of the vote over...
of the All People's Congress
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
(APC) and Solomon Berewa
Solomon Berewa
Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa was Vice-President of Sierra Leone from May 2002 to September 2007...
of the Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with the All People's Congress .-Formation:...
(SLPP), on 8 September. According to official results, Koroma won the election with 54.6% of the vote.
566 candidates stood in the parliamentary election, in which 112 seats, out of a total of 124, were at stake. Voting for seats in parliament was done on a first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
constituency basis, rather than the system of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
used previously. 12 members of parliament were chosen by traditional chiefs, who have been considered to be allied with the SLPP, in a separate election.
Background
Vice-President Solomon Berewa was chosen as the presidential candidate of the ruling SLPP, as well as the party's leader, in early September 2005. The incumbent president, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of the SLPP, was prohibited from running again by term limits. On July 2, 2007, Foreign Minister Momodu KoromaMomodu Koroma
Momodu Koroma is a Sierra Leonean politician. He is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and a member of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party . He became foreign minister in May 2002, as part of a new cabinet appointed following President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah's re-election earlier in the month...
was named as the party's vice-presidential candidate. Ernest Bai Koroma was nominated as the presidential candidate of the main opposition party APC, with Samuel Sam-Sumana
Samuel Sam-Sumana
Alhaji Sahr Samuel Sam-Sumana is a Sierra Leonean politician, and the current Vice President of Sierra Leone...
as his vice-presidential candidate. Charles Margai
Charles Margai
Charles Francis Kondo Margai is a Sierra Leonean lawyer and politician. He is the leader of the People's Movement for Democratic Change the third major political party in Sierra Leone, after the big two, the Sierra Leone People's Party and the All People's Congress . He was his party's candidate...
was nominated as the presidential candidate of the People's Movement for Democratic Change
People's Movement for Democratic Change
The People's Movement for Democratic Change is a liberal party in Sierra Leone. It is a breakaway faction of the Sierra Leone People's Party . It was officially registered on 19 January 2006...
(PMDC), with Ibrahim Tejan-Jalloh as his vice-presidential candidate. Margai formed the PMDC as a split from the SLPP in 2005, and this was seen as weakening the latter party. Prior to the election, Berewa, Koroma, and Margai were considered the main three presidential candidates.
In May 2007, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) delayed the election by two weeks from the previously set date of 28 July, saying that it was necessary to have additional time after parliament was dissolved in late June 2007. This decision was sharply criticized by the opposition, since it meant the election would be held when the rainy season was at its peak, potentially making voting difficult for many people. On 11 May, NEC Chairperson Christiana Thorpe rejected requests for the election to be delayed until December, saying that it would be unconstitutional to hold them so late. Acknowledging the impact the rain would likely have on voter turnout, Thorpe said that there would be more polling stations in order to make voting more convenient.
Campaigning
Campaigning for the election began on 10 July. The campaign was marred by some violence, but on 2 August an army spokesman described the country as "relatively calm and peaceful" and predicted a "peaceful, credible and violence-free" election. He also said that the army would not intervene in politics.APC candidate Koroma was allegedly the target of an assassination attempt in the early hours of July 23, 2007, when, according to the APC, a group of armed men led by Tom Nyuma
Tom Nyuma
Tom Nyuma is a retired Sierra Leonean military commander and currently the chairman of Kailahun District council from the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party . He was elected as chairman of Kailahun District council on July 6, 2008 with 87% of the vote...
, who was a participant in the 1992 coup that ousted the APC, attempted to enter his hotel room in the southern city of Bo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Southern Province. It lies about 164 miles south-east of Freetown and had a population 149,957 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate is 231,494 . The city serve as the capital and administrative center of Bo District...
to kill him. In a letter to the Inspector General of Police in early August, Berewa alleged that the APC and the PMDC were planning to disrupt the election and intimidate SLPP supporters. He claimed that they planned to send their own supporters dressed in Operational Support Division uniforms to polling stations. APC Secretary-General Victor Foh accused the SLPP of planning electoral fraud.
Election violence
Acts of violence escalated in the run up to the polls, especially in the capital, FreetownFreetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, and the south-eastern cities of Bo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Southern Province. It lies about 164 miles south-east of Freetown and had a population 149,957 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate is 231,494 . The city serve as the capital and administrative center of Bo District...
Kenema
Kenema
Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Eastern Province with a population of 128,402 in the 2004 census and a more recent estimate of 169,937...
and Koidu Town. In July, police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
arrested scores of people after clashes in Bo between SLPP and PMDC supporters.
Election day and counts
There were about 2.6 million registered voters at the time of the election and 6,171 polling stationPolling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
s. Voting was reported to be peaceful, although in some places young people were said to have disrupted vote counting, leading to increased security measures. An electoral commission official described the voting process as "smooth and successful". Turnout was reported to be high, despite the rains, with long lines at polling stations. Observers gave the election a positive appraisal and placed voter turnout at more than 70%. Marie-Anne Isler, head of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
observer mission, described voting as "well organized, positive and transparent", but also said that the SLPP enjoyed a strong advantage due to incumbency and the support of some traditional chiefs, and that it was "extremely dominant" in state television coverage. EU observers also said that Berewa appeared to have distributed money to voters at his home, a claim that the SLPP denounced as "baseless and unfounded".
Vote counting was done publicly at polling stations, with party representatives present. On August 13, Kabbah discouraged "provocative or inflammatory statements" and said that police would "deal firmly with any threats to the peace and stability of the nation". On the same day, NEC Chairperson Thorpe announced results from 7.4% of polling stations; out of these 150,374 votes, Koroma had 107,341 and Berewa had 33,041. Further results on August 14, from about 19% of polling stations, showed Koroma remaining well ahead of Berewa, with 204,774 votes against 106,487 for Berewa. Margai, in third place, had 43,904 votes. Meanwhile, United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon appealed for the preservation of "an atmosphere of calm and public order" and said that "any potential dispute" should be resolved "within the established legal channels".
On August 15, an APC spokesman claimed that, based on its own count, the party had won 61 seats in parliament, which would be a majority, although at the time official results for only four seats had been announced, two for the APC, one for the SLPP, and one for the PMDC. Partial results for the presidential election released by the National Electoral Commission on August 15, accounting for 34.3% of polling stations, showed Koroma still leading, although more narrowly; Koroma had 297,206 votes, compared to 227,353 for Berewa and 97,669 for Margai. Further results on August 16, accounting for 45.3% of polling stations, showed Koroma with 400,027 votes, Berewa with 310,321 votes, and Margai with 120,231 votes. Results from about 62% of polling stations on August 17 showed Koroma with 516,442 votes, Berewa with 421,812 votes, and Margai with 169,408 votes.
On August 18, results from 81% of polling stations showed Koroma with 44% of the vote and Berewa with 38%. On August 20, results from 93.1% of polling stations showed Koroma with 754,696 votes, Berewa with 654,756 votes, and Margai with 239,637 votes. In the parliamentary election, the APC had 21 seats, the SLPP had 10, and the PMDC had four. Turnout is placed at about 76%.
On August 19, Margai stated his support for Koroma in the second round of the election. On August 20, the PMDC's Karamoh Kabba explained what he said was the reasoning behind the decision: the PMDC sought to "ensure a more representative government, the survival of the PMDC as a political party and the creation of a third formidable political force for smooth running of democracy in Sierra Leone". According to Kabba, backing the APC would help to bridge the regional political divide marking Sierra Leone's politics (the SLPP and PMDC draw their main support from the south, while the APC draws its main support from the north), while backing the SLPP would deepen it; furthermore, he said that the APC had a natural reason to want the PMDC to survive, while the SLPP had a natural reason to want to destroy it. Margai's support for the APC provoked controversy in the PMDC, however, with some feeling that his decision was made without properly consulting the party.
SLPP spokesman Victor Reider expressed confidence for his party ahead of the second round, to be held in September, and said that the SLPP would warn voters about "the risk of destroying everything that we have been able to put together since 2002 when the war ended".
Full provisional results announced on August 23 showed Koroma with 815,523 votes (44.3%), Berewa with 704,012 votes (38.3%), and Margai with 255,499 votes (13.9%). Thorpe confirmed that a second round would be necessary between Koroma and Berewa. In the parliamentary election, the APC won 59 seats, the SLPP won 43 seats, and the PMDC won 10 seats. Turnout was placed at 75.8%.
Results by region reveal how Margai’s PMDC party cut into the SLPP’s support in the south and east. Especially significant
was the PMDC’s winning of 41% of the vote in the SLPP stronghold of Southern Province. In Northern Province, which has the
largest voting population, the APC maintained its support and Koroma got almost 77% of the vote, the largest share by region for any of the candidates. The APC also received strong support in Western Area. Comparing the first-round performances of the SLPP and APC presidential candidates in 2002 and 2007 makes clear the SLPP’s loss of ground in the south and east. While in 2002 the SLPP's candidate Kabbah won 92% and 95% in Eastern and Southern provinces, respectively, five years later the SLPP's candidate Berewa won just 66% and 46% there.
The SLPP’s biggest losses were in the Western Area districts around Freetown. While the SLPP won more than half the seats in Western Area parliamentary elections in 2002, voters turned away from the SLPP in droves and the party lost all 21 seats in Western Area to the APC in 2007.
Margai said on August 24 that the APC and the PMDC would campaign together for the second round. Koroma's campaign called for Berewa to recognize defeat and back out of the second round in order to save the money that would have to be spent on it, but the SLPP refused to do so. Reider predicted victory for Berewa and said that the government should receive credit for being democratic and law-abiding, enabling the APC to win the parliamentary election.
On August 25, the NEC confirmed the provisional results, announced that the second round of the presidential election would take place on September 8, and said that second round campaigning would take place from August 25 until September 6.
The results were strongly marked by the regional divide between support for the APC, which won overwhelmingly in the north and also by a large margin in the west, and the SLPP, which won in the south and east, although it split its support there with the PMDC. The parties performed poorly outside of their regional support bases; the APC won only two of its 59 parliamentary seats outside of the north and west. Koroma received his best results in Bombali District
Bombali District
Bombali District is district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It's capital and largest city is Makeni, which is also the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the north. The other major towns in the district include Kamakwie, Kamabai, Masingbi and Binkolo...
(83.9%), Tonkolili District
Tonkolili District
Tonkolili District is a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Magburaka. The other major towns include Mathora, Magbass, Yonibana and Mile 91...
(82.2%), and Port Loko District
Port Loko District
Port Loko District is the most populous district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 489,488 Its capital is Port Loko and the largest city is Lunsar...
(78.6%), while Berewa received his best results in Kailahun District
Kailahun District
Kailahun District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Kailahun. The other major towns in the district include Segbwema, Koindu, Pendembu and Daru. As of 2010, the district has a population of 395,957 ....
(77.1%), Kenema District
Kenema District
Kenema District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Kenema, which is also the third largest city in Sierra Leone. The other major towns in the district include Tongo and Blama. The district is the most populous district in the Eastern province with...
(63.0%), and Kono District
Kono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
(57.1%). Margai received a majority only in Bonthe District
Bonthe District
Bonthe District comprises several islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the southwestern coast of Sierra Leone and a mainland area. Its capital is the town of Mattru Jong and the largest town in the district is Bonthe, on Sherbro Island and the town of Masabendu....
(61.1%).
Reider of the SLPP said that, despite "reservations over the conduct of the elections", his party accepted the results. The APC's Victor Foh said that his party accepted the results as well.
Foh alleged that a paramount chief in an eastern district had brought mercenaries from neighboring Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
to intimidate voters by firing near polling stations.
Two small parties, the National Democratic Alliance
National Democratic Alliance (Sierra Leone)
The National Democratic Alliance is a political party in Sierra Leone. In the August 2007 general election, the party did not win any seats in parliament, and its presidential candidate, Amadu Jalloh , won only 17,748 votes, 0.96% of the total....
(NDA) and the Peace and Liberation Party
Peace and Liberation Party
The Peace and Liberation Party is a political party in Sierra Leone.At the last elections, 14 May 2002, the party won 3.6% of popular votes and 2 out of 112 seats. Its candidate at the presidential elections, Johnny Paul Koroma won 3.0% of the vote...
(PLP), respectively led by Amadu Jalloh
Amadu Jalloh
Alhaji Amadu Jalloh is a politician in Sierra Leone. He contested the 1996 presidential election as a member of the National Democratic Alliance, where he finished in 8th place with 2.3% of the first round voting...
, the fifth place presidential candidate, and Kandeh Baba Conteh
Kandeh Baba Conteh
Dr. Kandeh Baba Conteh is a Sierra Leonean politician and political scientist. He is the leader of the Peace and Liberation Party . He is a member of parliament, substituting Johnny Paul Koroma who died in 2003....
, the sixth place candidate, announced their support for Berewa in a press conference on August 27. Fourth place candidate Andrew Turay
Andrew Turay
Andrew Turay is a politician in Sierra Leone. He competed in the 1996 presidential election as part of the United National People's Party . He received 0.5% of the vote ....
of the Convention People's Party
Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party is a socialist political party in Ghana, based on the ideas of former President Kwame Nkrumah.The CPP was formed in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah to campaign for the independence of the Gold Coast. It ruled Ghana from 1957 to 1966...
(CPP) also announced his support for Berewa in early September.
After clashes between supporters of the two sides in Freetown and Koidu Town
Koidu-Sefadu
Koidu Town officially known as Koidu New Sembehun is the capital, largest city and economic center of the diamond-rich Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone...
, President Kabbah on August 27 warned that he would declare a state of emergency "if the current state of intimidation, molestation and violent acts is not stopped". A curfew was imposed in Koidu. In an interview with Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
, Reider claimed that Berewa had actually received 20,000 more votes than Koroma and that there were irregularities, particularly in the north and west, regarding which he said the SLPP had requested an investigation from the NEC. He also blamed the violence on the APC. Clashes were reported in Segbwema
Segbwema
Segbwema is a major agricultural center of Sierra Leone, with a population of 7,961 . It is the largest town in Kailahun District after the capital ; and the fourth largest in the Eastern Province...
, in the south, on August 30, after SLPP supporters pelted an APC convoy with rocks; the local SLPP headquarters was burned. The violence led Koroma to end his campaigning in the south. Clashes erupted in Freetown on September 1 and reportedly left dozens of people injured; police intervened with tear gas. On the same day, Koroma and Berewa agreed to hold a peace march on September 3 in hopes of deescalating the violence. The two candidates also agreed to allow the police to handle their security, instead of entrusting it to private bodyguards.
Voter awareness of the concept of a second round and the need for it is said to be low, and it is speculated that voter turnout may be lower in the second round as a result. The NEC has been working to inform voters about the importance of the second round.
The peace march agreed to by Berewa and Koroma was eventually held on September 6, but it was boycotted by Koroma. The APC said that the SLPP had not corrected the problems that it said led to the previous violence and alleged that its supporters were being harassed that the Kamajor
Kamajors
The Kamajors are a group of traditional hunters from the Mende ethnic group in the south and east of Sierra Leone...
militia, active during the civil war
Sierra Leone Civil War
The Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
, was being rearmed. Berewa made an appearance, but he did not participate in the actual march.
In the election on September 8, the parties traded accusations of harassment of their polling agents at polling stations. Berewa alleged that police mistreated SLPP agents and the SLPP's Alhaji Jah said there were reports that between 40 and 50 of his party's agents "were harassed, intimidated and taken out of polling stations". For his part, Koroma alleged that APC representatives were being harassed and kept away from polling stations in Kailahun. He also said that five APC agents were attacked and kidnapped in Bo and that many people had voted twice in Kenema
Kenema
Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Eastern Province with a population of 128,402 in the 2004 census and a more recent estimate of 169,937...
. Police imposed a curfew in Kailahun.
European Union observers gave a positive assessment of the day of the election. In a statement on September 10, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon praised the election as proceeding in a "generally orderly and peaceful atmosphere, in spite of the tensions and violence that marred the campaign period" and urged people to "exercise restraint".
As vote counting occurred, both the SLPP and the APC claimed to be ahead and both said that they would reject results from areas where their agents were allegedly not allowed access to polling stations. The SLPP's Reider said that in three districts in the north the party's agents were kept away from the polling stations, and that there were 50 polling stations where SLPP agents were not present; he alleged that SLPP agents were arrested for two hours and that people from the APC took advantage of this to stuff the ballot boxes. APC spokesman Alpha Kanu said that his party's agents had been unable to access polling stations in parts of Kailahun, Kenema, and Pujehun districts in the south.
The first official results, released by the NEC on September 10, showed Koroma well ahead with 64% of the vote against 36% for Berewa, based on results from slightly more than 20% of polling stations; however, officials said that these results came primarily from the west of the country, where the APC is stronger. Thorpe emphasized the importance of an "atmosphere of calm" while votes are counted and results are released. Koroma claimed victory, saying it was "not possible" for him to lose, but Reider of the SLPP accused him of "trying to steal victory" and said that according to the SLPP's figures, Berewa was in the lead. Reider was also strongly critical of a report from the EU's observers that alleged that the number of votes in parts of the south and east exceeded the number of registered voters there.
Results released on September 11, based on about 37% of polling stations, showed Koroma with about 60% of the vote and Berewa with about 40%. With 50.8% of the vote counted on 12 September, Koroma had about 58.5%; out of the country's 14 districts, Koroma and Berewa each led in seven of them. On the same day, Kabbah urged people to accept the final results when they are released, regardless of who is declared the winner.
Results released on September 13, with 76.1% of the vote counted, showed Koroma leading with 60.2% (859,144 votes) against 39.8% (567,449 votes) for Berewa. The APC's Alpha Kanu said that his party held an "unassailable lead" and was waiting for a concession from Berewa.
The SLPP's Reider, however, said that his party was filing a court injunction to prevent the publication of any further results due to what he described as discrepancies in the results. There have been allegations that the NEC has withheld some results from the SLPP's support bases in the south and east, and on September 15 a protest outside NEC offices was broken up by police.
On September 17, 2007, the NEC said that Koroma had won the election with 54.6% of the vote to Berewa's 45.4%; Koroma had 950,407 votes and Berewa had 789,651. Results from a total of 477 polling stations were invalidated because there were more ballots than there were registered voters: 426 of these polling stations were in the pro-SLPP Southeast, while 45 were in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sierra Leone
The Northern Province is one of the four provincial divisions of Sierra Leone. It comprises five Districts and covers an area of 35,936 km² and with a population of 1,718,240 . Its administrative and economic center is Makeni...
and six were in the Western Area
Western Area, Sierra Leone
The Western Area or Freetown Peninsula is one of four principal divisions of Sierra Leone. It comprises the oldest city and national capital Freetown and its surrounding suburbs. It covers an area of 557 km² and has a population of 947,122...
. This decision was taken by Thorpe and two of the four Regional Commissioners; the two remaining Regional Commissioners, representing the south and east, left in protest when Koroma was declared the winner. Berewa promptly conceded defeat. According to Kanu, both Kabbah and Berewa called Koroma and congratulated him. Although the SLPP's injunction was scheduled to be heard on the same day, a judge postponed it. The official results can be challenged within seven days of the official proclamation.
Koroma was sworn in as President at State House in Freetown on 17 September, the same day that the results were announced, at a ceremony attended by Berewa and Kabbah. Koroma said on this occasion: "Let us begin the process of healing the wounds that suddenly and unnecessarily appeared during the course of this political campaign. Let us endeavour to reconcile ourselves as one nation under God." Shortly afterward, the SLPP headquarters in Freetown was looted. Police intervened, using tear gas and firing into the air to end the looting; some looters were reported arrested and at least one person was reported killed.
The 124 members of parliament were sworn in on September 25. Justice Abel Stronge was elected as Speaker and the APC's Victor Chukuma Johnson was elected as Deputy Speaker. Edward Turay
Edward Turay
Edward Mohammed Turay is a politician in Sierra Leone. He was leader of the All People's Congress from 1996 until 2002. He contested the 1996 national election for president; however, Turay lost the election after gaining just 5.1% of the first round of voting, good enough for fifth place...
was chosen as Leader of the Majority Party, and Momoh Pujeh was chosen as Leader of the Minority Party.
Some in the SLPP have accused Kabbah of contributing to its defeat, alleging that he betrayed the party due to distrust and jealousy that he harbored towards Berewa.
External links
- Sierra Leone: The Election Opportunity, International Crisis GroupInternational Crisis GroupThe International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world through field-based analyses and high-level advocacy.-History:...
, July 12, 2007