Sierra Leone’s Election Results Challenged by European Observers

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European election observers in Sierra Leone have raised concerns about “statistical inconsistencies” in the presidential results published by the electoral commission. The commission had declared President Julius Maada Bio as the winner of the vote, but the European Union Election Observation Mission has called for the prompt publication of disaggregated results data per polling station to ensure transparency. The chief electoral commissioner of Sierra Leone stated that the disaggregated results would be uploaded to the website in due course, although it would take time.

President Bio was re-elected to a second term with 56% of the vote, narrowly avoiding a run-off against his main rival, Samura Kamara, who received about 41% of the vote. Kamara has rejected the outcome, claiming that the results were not credible.

The EU observation mission highlighted inconsistencies between the first and second batches of presidential results, including discrepancies in the number of average valid votes per polling station. They also noted an unusually low number of invalid ballots nationwide and a very high voter turnout exceeding 95% in at least three districts.

Several countries, including the United States, Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, and the EU, have expressed shared concerns about the lack of transparency in the tabulation process and logistical problems that affected voting in certain areas. They have called for restraint, respect for the rule of law, and peaceful dialogue to resolve disputes. The electoral commission spokesperson declined to comment on the alleged irregularities, stating that they had not seen the mission’s statement.