Incumbent Julius Maada Bio, has been sworn-in for a second term after being declared winner of Sierra Leone’s presidential election, a result disputed by the opposition.

Official figures give Bio 56% of the vote.

A candidate needs more than 55% for outright victory and avoid a second round.

After the first tranche of results were released on Monday, Kamara called the outcome “daylight robbery”.

International election observers have highlighted problems with transparency in the tallying process.

Saturday’s vote took place amid tension but President Bio had called on Sierra Leoneans to “keep the peace”.

Bio, a 59-year-old, a former soldier, was sworn in for his second and final five-year term on Tuesday night.

The retired army brigadier took part in a military coup during the country’s civil war in 1992, only to overthrow the military junta itself in 1996 and pave the way for free elections that year.

The rivalry between him and Kamara, 72, was a repeat of the closely fought 2018 election, which went to a second round.

This time Kamara, who was the candidate for the All People’s Congress (APC), has alleged that his electoral agents were not allowed to verify the ballot counting.

Cameron Hume, head of the US-based Carter Center’s election observer team, told newsmen they had questions about how some votes were counted.

However, he stressed they did not have any evidence that fraud had been committed and that much of the election process had gone well.

Credit: AIT