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On Friday, 23 May 2026, The Eastern Regional Office of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) played a pivotal role in ensuring a peaceful, transparent, and credible Paramount Chieftaincy election in Dodo Chiefdom, Kenema District.
The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) supervised the election process together with the united government officials, security agencies, traditional authorities, and community stakeholders to safeguard a calm voting environment.
The Provincial Secretary opened the proceedings by stressing the importance of responsible leadership, integrity, accountability, and community development in the selection of a Paramount Chief. He reminded stakeholders that a candidate must attain the constitutional threshold of 55 percent to be declared the winner.
As part of its mandate, the ICPNC facilitated pre-election engagements that promoted tolerance, dialogue, unity, and mutual respect. Before voting began, Eastern Regional Coordinator Mr. Luke Kakpa Pessima urged candidates and supporters to uphold democratic values and to refrain from actions that could undermine peace and stability.
In a symbolic peacebuilding intervention, all candidates signed Peace Pledge forms, publicly committing to a violence-free electoral environment. Voting took place across four polling sections with four initial candidates: Francis Jinnah Maada Gegbai, Mohamed Karim Gegbai, Sulaiman Faba Kpakra, and Musa Junisa Njollah.
No candidate reached the constitutional threshold in the first round, prompting a runoff between Mohamed Karim Gegbai and Sulaiman Faba Kpakra.
In the runoff, Mohamed Karim Gegbai secured 420 votes (57.53 percent) while Sulaiman Faba Kpakra received 310 votes (42.47 percent). The Provincial Secretary declared Mohamed Karim Gegbai the duly elected Paramount Chief of Dodo Chiefdom following an electoral process observers described as peaceful, free, fair, and credible.
The ICPNC commended the collaborative efforts of security personnel, ECSL officials, traditional authorities, and community members for maintaining peace throughout the exercise. Mr. Pessima described the peaceful conduct of the election as evidence of growing democratic maturity and strengthened community cooperation within the chiefdom.
The successful conclusion of the Dodo Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy election is a positive example of collaborative peacebuilding and democratic engagement, reinforcing the role of traditional leadership in community development, land management, and cultural preservation.
