The ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) will test its political strength this coming Saturday 26th March, 2022 against the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) in two parliamentary by-elections in Constituency 073 in Koya Chiefdom, Port Loko District and in Constituency 005 in Upper Bambara Chiefdom, Kailahun District.

Ahead of Saturday’s encounter in Koya, for which the coalition of APC and National Grand Coalition (NGC) is ganging up against the governing SLPP, a high-powered SLPP campaign team comprising the First Lady, Fatima Maaada Bio, Resident Minister Northwest, Alhahji Dr. Alpha Khan, Ambassador Alimamy Bangura, Yakunba Bio, Young Generation Leader, Ing. Francis Kallon, Ibrahim Sannoh, Chief Brima Keita, Alhaji Alpha Kallon joined thousands of SLPP supporters in Constituency 073 on Thursday to galvanize them into action and rally behind their party aspirant, Abdul K. Kanu.

It could be recalled that in the 2018 Constituency 073 parliamentary election, the APC candidate, now deceased, polled 62% of the valid votes whilst the SLPP candidate scored 38%

Similarly, 2018 parliamentary election in Constituency 005 was convincingly won by the SLPP candidate who is now deceased, hence the need for the parliamentary by-election tomorrow.

Given the political landscape of the country, irrespective of the current economic situation nationwide, the main opposition APC are expected to win tomorrow’s parliamentary by-election in Koya, while the ruling SLPP are also expected to win the parliamentary by-election in Constituency 005 in the Upper Bambara Chiefdom. The parliamentary by-elections will be conducted in the two traditional strongholds of the main opposition APC and the governing SLPP respectively. But given the great development strides which the current government has made in Constituency 073, including the installation of solar grid at Masiaka, implementation of projects for the empowerment of the youth amongst others, many political analysts believe the SLPP will improve on their votes in that constituency even if they do not win the by-election, while the APC are expectedly destined to lose woefully in Constituency 005 for obvious reasons.

According to The Satellite Newspaper, the outcomes of the two parliamentary by-elections will be seen as a litmus test of His Excellency President Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio led SLPP Government concern for development issues irrespective of the traditional voting pattern.