Idris Elba, the British actor and producer has urged Sierra Leoneans to hold a peaceful election on June 19, 2023 in a video via a tweet.
Elba, who is of from Sierra Leonean descent, tweeted:
CALLING ALL SIERRA LEONEANS. FORGIVE MY KRIO. BUT SHARE MY MESSAGE. LET US HAVE A PEACEFUL ELECTION. WE CAN, THERFORE WE SHALL.
Idrissa Akuna Elba, 50, was born in the London Borough of Hackney, to Winston Elba, a Sierra Leonean Creole man who worked at the Ford Dagenham plant, and Eve, a Ghanaian woman.
Elba’s call for peaceful elections comes as Sierra Leone preparations for its June 24, 2023 general election.
Prior to Sierra Leone’s national elections, the Carter Centre has dispatched an international election observation mission to the country.
“We look forward to engaging with Sierra Leonean stakeholders across the political spectrum and providing an independent and impartial assessment of the electoral process. We hope that our observation and reporting will provide important information to Sierra Leonean citizens, key recommendations to stakeholders, and help uphold transparency for the remainder of the electoral process,” said Carter Center Field Office Director Nicholas Jahr
Sierra Leoneans are calling for a peaceful election in the West African nation amidst escalating anger over the failing economy, rising unemployment, and impending violent demonstrations.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General has applauded the presidential candidates standing for office in Sierra Leone and encouraged them to work together to ensure a peaceful and credible election. “The path to development lies in unity,” said the Secretary-General.
What To Expect From Elections in Sierra Leone
Two well-known candidates are competing to govern this 8.4 million-person nation. President Julius Maada Bio is running for re-election and has pledged to prioritise expanding access to public education and increasing agricultural production.
Samura Kamara, the runner-up in the last presidential election of 2018, is the other candidate for the nation’s top role.
In the upcoming week, more than three million people will be enrolled to vote, and the election will be conducted using district block proportional representation rather than the constituency-based first-past-the-post system used since 2007.
In addition to the presidential election, Sierra Leone will also conduct elections for parliamentary and local council elections. The previous parliament, which was dissolved on April 25, consisted of 132 directly elected MPs and 14 paramount chief MPs (PCMPs).
The new parliament, after the June 24 elections, will constitute 135 MPs and 14 PCMPs.
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