Sierra Leone: Elections 2018

[Idris2002]

I have to admit I'd taken my eye off this one. But the fourth elections since the civil war are due to be held in Sierra Leone tomorrow:

Polling day in Sierra Leone tomorrow – APC fighting for survival

That's a very partisan account in the link. My perception of Prez Koroma - who isn't running this time - is that he's been all right as African presidents go. But he has his detractors as that story makes clear. I also heard that he'd tried to do something about corruption, but got such furious pushback from his own party that he was forced to drop that one.

It was a good bit of news the last time around, when there was no serious violence in the first post-war election held without external association. Let's see if they can do it a second time.

 

[Idris2002]

This is going to get interesting (but in a peaceful way, hopefully). The APC and SLPP are the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael of Sierra Leone - they hate each other even though there's not much ideological difference between them. The APC are based on the northern Temne people, the SLPP on the southern Mende - but there's always been groups that acted as the "swing constituencies" between the two. Looks like that's going to be even more crucial this time.

 

[Idris2002]

The runoff vote was delayed, but is due to go ahead next Saturday:

Sierra Leone's delayed presidential run-off set for March 31

That yahoo story says it's been largely peaceful so far, but that's contradicted by an email I got this morning, so. . .

 

[Idris2002]

The opposition candidate won, but had to be sworn in in secret:

Sierra Leone’s Opposition Leader Is Sworn In as President

There's been some violence, but not enough to justify (as far as I can tell) to slake the vampire bloodlust of western reporters in Africa, who aren't happy unless a civil war is either underway or looming.

 

[Idris2002]

Fake news has reared its ugly head here as well:

The WhatsApp rumours that infused Sierra Leone's tight election - African Arguments

Last thing I heard from Salone was talk of curfews and "skirmishing" in the south of the country.