APC Completes Elections in 15 Districts as Legal Disputes Delay Kambia and Karene
Kanja Sesay The All People’s Congress (APC) has completed its lower-level elections in 15 of Sierra Leone’s 17 administrative districts, but unresolved petitions and legal disputes have prevented the party from concluding the electoral process in Kambia and Karene.
The development emerged during proceedings at the High Court in Freetown on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, where officials responsible for managing the opposition party’s internal elections provided updates on the progress and challenges affecting the exercise.
Testifying before Justice Adrian Fisher, Patrick Hassan Kamara, National Coordinator of the APC’s Independent Elections Management Committee (IEMC), confirmed that outstanding petitions had delayed voting in the two districts.
The delays have raised concerns about the party’s ability to comply with a court directive requiring the completion of its remaining lower-level elections within 21 days.
During his testimony, Kamara explained that unresolved electoral disputes remain the principal obstacle to completing the party’s lower-level elections in Kambia and Karene.
Under cross-examination by counsel for the plaintiff, Jessie Jengo, he confirmed that petitions involving Wards 220 and 227 in Kambia are currently before the party’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
According to Kamara, the disputes must be addressed before elections can proceed in the affected areas.
He explained that resolving the petitions would help ensure that elected delegates are recognised through a credible process and reduce the likelihood of further legal challenges.
The outstanding matters have complicated the party’s electoral timetable as officials work to complete the process in accordance with the court’s instructions.
The High Court had previously directed that the party’s remaining lower-level elections be completed within 21 days.
However, the unresolved disputes in Kambia and Karene have created uncertainty over whether the deadline can be met.
The court proceedings highlighted the difficulties involved in balancing the need to complete elections promptly with the requirement to address complaints and ensure procedural fairness.
While the APC has completed elections in most districts, the outstanding contests remain important to the party’s wider internal electoral process.
The outcome of the pending petitions is expected to determine when voting can resume in the affected areas.
Beyond the legal disputes, testimony before the court also highlighted operational challenges encountered during the conduct of the elections.
Kamara disclosed that election personnel arrived late at some polling locations, particularly in remote communities, causing voting to continue beyond the scheduled closing hours.
Such difficulties have contributed to complaints about the conduct of the exercise.
The court also heard that rerun elections had been conducted in parts of Port Loko, the Western Area and Kono following earlier electoral challenges.
Despite these corrective measures, logistical problems and additional petitions have continued to affect the process.
The issues have raised questions about the resources, planning and coordination required to conduct credible internal elections across the country.
The proceedings also brought attention to concerns about the safety and independence of officials responsible for handling electoral complaints.
Ibrahim Sorie, Chairman of the Independent Election Complaints Board, reported that members of the board had received threats, intimidating messages and verbal abuse following decisions on electoral disputes.
According to Sorie, the incidents occurred as the board carried out its responsibility to review complaints arising from the party’s internal elections.
The reported intimidation has raised concerns about the pressures facing officials tasked with resolving disputes.
Despite the challenges, Sorie indicated that the board expected to conclude the remaining district and constituency hearings by the end of the week.
The reported threats have not been independently verified, and the court account did not identify those allegedly responsible.
During his testimony, Kamara also proposed reforms aimed at strengthening the credibility and administration of future APC internal elections.
Among his recommendations was the rotation of electoral officials between districts to reduce concerns about local influence and improve impartiality.
He also called for stronger protections against interference and disruption during electoral activities.
Other concerns raised included inadequate funding and security challenges affecting the organisation of elections.
According to Kamara, addressing these weaknesses would help improve the management of internal electoral processes and strengthen confidence among party members.
The proposed reforms reflect the broader challenges political parties face when organising competitive internal elections involving multiple candidates and competing interests.
Following the testimony, Justice Adrian Fisher indicated that additional court directions would be issued in the coming days to facilitate the completion of the outstanding elections.
The anticipated directions are expected to address the remaining procedural challenges and provide guidance on how the party should proceed.
For now, the completion of the APC’s lower-level electoral process remains dependent on the resolution of disputes affecting Kambia and Karene.
Although elections have been completed in 15 districts, the outstanding petitions continue to create uncertainty over the party’s ability to conclude the exercise within the court-ordered timeframe.
The next phase of proceedings will be important in determining how the APC resolves its internal electoral challenges and advances its broader electoral roadmap.