The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has early June published the lists of candidates for all districts within the country as we fast run into the general election.

The list that was published captured the picture, name and symbols for all the political candidates that will contest the June 24th elections. It involved political parties who filed in candidates for such positions ranging from, chairperson, councillors (districts and city councils), mayor, and Members of Parliament respectively.

Kono district is located in the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone which is considered a swing state in the political arena of Sierra Leone.

Kono district is the home of the former Vice President under the APC regime, Chief Samuel Sam Sumana who was sacked by former President Koroma for which in the previous election in 2018 the people of Kono threw massive support to the former VP. That even led his party by then, the Coalition for Change (C4C) party won eight (8) seats out of the nine (9) seats the district was having in the 2018 general elections, which showed Kono as the political base for the C4C.

There has been a dramatic change in the 2023 elections as we saw the movement of the Sam Sumana from the C4C party that gave him a sympathy massive vote in 2018 back to the All Peoples Congress (APC) party. This development was seen by many indigenes of Kono as a betrayal of trust which have sent the district back to a swing state in the June 2023 general elections and with little or no hope for the C4C the party coupled with their court case, the party has form alliance with the Peoples’ Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) party

The listed candidates for the different political parties are as follows:

The filed in candidates for mayoral position includes: Bongay Aminata-UNPP, Bonga Sahr-NURP, Kamanda William Btaham-APC, Mbendakwia Aiah James-PMDC, Sam Komba-SLPP, Soh Mohamed Peredjor-NDA.

The Filed In Candidates For Chairperson Position Includes: Gbondo Solomon Sahr-PMDC, Mbawa Komba-APC, Sheku Augustine Sahr-SLPP And Yamba Ibrahim Tamba-NDA.

The filed in candidates for councillor (district and city council) position includes: all peoples congress party (APC), Peoples’ Movement for Democratic Change-(PMDC), Sierra Leone Peoples Party-(SLPP)

The filed in candidates for Member of Parliament position includes: All Peopes Congress Party-(APC), Charles Sahr –Independent, Chendeka, Unisa Aiah-Independent, Daramy Ibrahim Kalil-Independent, Foyoh Aiah Emmanel-Independent, Gbonda Steven Komba-Independent, Mbriwa Sia Tabitha-Independent, National Unity And Reconciliation Party-(NURP), Peoples’ Movement For Democratic Change-(PMDC), Sierra Leone Peoples Party-(SLPP) And Williams Brian Joshua-Independent.