Sierra Leone: President Bio Wins Second Term in Office

The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone declared on Tuesday that Julius Maada Bio, incumbent President and candidate of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party, won his second five-year term in the presidential election.

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Bio won 56.17 percent of the total vote, while opposition All People's Congress candidate Samura Kamara came in second with 41.16 percent, the electoral commission said. 

According to the law of this West African country, to be declared the winner of the presidential election, the leading candidate must obtain 55 percent of the votes cast. Bio narrowly avoided a run-off election.

The re-elected president was sworn in by the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, Desmond Babatunde Edwards. On the occasion, he said that during his second term, he will pursue "an accelerated national development agenda that will improve the quality of life of the people." 

"This victory is for Sierra Leone, as we have proven once again that while our languages, tribes, and political beliefs may differ, we are united in our desire to see the land we love prosper," Bio said via Twitter.

"My next government will focus on food security, consolidating gains in human capital development, creating jobs for our youth, revamping the civil service, and developing technology and infrastructure," he added. 

Meanwhile, his opponent from the All People's Congress expressed his disagreement with the results. "These results are not credible, and I categorically reject the result announced by the electoral commission," Kamara said.

Sierra Leone held presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections on June 24.