Opposition lawmakers in Sierra Leone boycott swearing-in
umar mustapha
14th july, 2023
Opposition lawmakers in Sierra Leone have boycotted the parliamentary swearing-in ceremony following elections in June.
According to results by the electoral commission which the opposition disputes, the All People’s Congress (APC) won 54 out of 149 seats.
The APC demanded the resignation of the chairman of the Electoral commission as well as a rerun of the vote within six months.
US ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer had opposed the boycott, saying that “a vibrant democracy needs a strong opposition, and that those who voted for the opposition need to have their voices heard”.
Similarly, APC leader and the losing presidential contender,
Samura Kamara, had tweeted: “Under normal circumstances, each day forward means progress. In our political journey however in Sierra Leone, a new day now means going backwards.”
