AYV News, November 6, 2023
The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (EC-SL) has officially announced the results of the Village Heads Elections that took place in the Western Area Rural District on Saturday, October 28, 2023.
Chief Electoral Commissioner at EC-SL, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh said the election process was conducted in accordance with the constitution and the relevant electoral legal framework, with the Sierra Leone Police ensuring security at all polling centers.
Out of a total of 121 villages in the Western Area Rural District where candidates’ nominations were declared, 305 nominations were received. After two candidates withdrew, 270 candidates contested in 88 villages, while 33 villages were declared uncontested after nominations.
The Commission received a total of 45 petitions from candidates who participated in the elections. After reviewing the petitions, 42 were dismissed due to a lack of sufficient evidence to overturn the results. Re-elections will be held in Bonga Wharf and No.2 River, and investigations continue regarding the petition received from Samuel Town.
Due to a logistical issue in Sussex Kingtom village, only one out of two voting centers in Sussex village voted on October 28, 2023. To rectify this, the voting process will be completed on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at the REC Primary School at Mile 13.
Provisional results were announced, with 647 polling station results representing 96.85% of all polling stations in the 84 villages/towns where elections were conducted. The Electoral Commission’s Commissioner of Western Region, Zainab Umu Moseray, read the provisional results.
Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohamed Kenewui Konneh declared the winners, stating that the candidates who received the highest number of valid votes cast are duly elected as Village Heads in their respective villages.
The Sierra Leone Electoral Commission (EC-SL) assures that the election process was conducted in a largely peaceful manner, and the results reflect the will of the people in the Western Area Rural District.
