U S Embassy urges Sierra Leoneans to exercise restraints after election results 

March 12, 2018 By Mohamed Massaquoi

US Ambassador to Sierra Leone: Maria E. Brewer

The United States Embassy in Sierra Leone has called on Sierra Leoneans to maintain peace ahead of the final announcement of elections results by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) .

A press release dated 10^th March commended Sierra Leoneans for exercising their democratic rights during the March 7 presidential, parliamentary and local council elections and also commended civil society organisations and other election management bodies for their relentless efforts in making the process successful.

The March 7^th was significant to the government and people of Sierra Leone but what is crucial now is acceptability of the final election results by Sierra Leoneans without any challenge to the peace and stability of the country.

“The U S embassy in Sierra Leone wishes to congratulate the people of Sierra Leone who expressed their commitment to democracy by voting in the March 7^th elections.

“We encourage political parties and their supporters to exercise restraint as we await the full announcement of the election results by the National Electoral Commission NEC.

“We also emphasize that the NEC is the only constitutionally mandated authority responsible for the announcing election results,” the release stated.

Many organisations, both national and international, have implored Sierra Leoneans to maintain the peace before, during and after elections based on the fact that the country has come a very long way from a violent conflict to holding successive democratic elections, beginning 1996.

Most of the violence, according to analysts, is perpetuated by youths, who make up a significant percentage of the country’s voting population.