Eleven people have been declared eligible to contest the Simiria Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy elections scheduled for Saturday 8th June 2024.

Simiria, a Chiefdom in Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone has been under the authority of a caretaker Chief known as Regent Chief since the death of its last Paramount Chief, PC Alimamy Bangura II.

Weeks ago, a Declaration of Rights Ceremony was held in Mabonto, the Chiefdom headquarters. According to the 2009 Chieftaincy Act, a Declaration of Rights Ceremony must be held before the elections of a Paramount Chief. The ceremony is where those aspiring to become Paramount Chiefs would publicly declare and make their intentions known to the Tribal Authorities of the particular Chiefdom. The Tribal Authorities who are the electorates would then verify and confirm whether the said aspirants are qualified or are eligible members of the ruling houses they claimed.

It was during that ceremony that the eleven men were declared eligible to contest for Simiria Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy Elections.

Abdul K.Bangura, Alimamy Bangura, Alimamy Blackpool Bangura, Alimamy Mambo Bangura, Alimamy Pallo Bangura, Biankay Foray Bangura, Biankay Sorie Kiara Bangura, Kandeh T. Bangura, Maxwell Gbassay Bangura, Rev. David Kabba Bangura and Karia Sengbeh are the eleven men vying for the Chieftaincy of the mineral rich Chiefdom.

All of the candidates are from the Bangura clan, the rightful claimant of the Simiria Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy.

Currently, the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone has declared Campaigns open. Campaigns have been peaceful so far and there has been no reported incident of a skirmish.

Simiria Chiefdom is endowed with minerals but the majority of its residents are living in abject poverty. Among those contesting, there are sons of the last Paramount Chief. The tribal authorities in the Chiefdom will decide next Saturday who will be Simiria Chiefdom next Paramount Chief.