Samura Kamara, the presidential candidate of Sierra Leone’s main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, has voiced strong demands for electoral reforms to ensure future elections are credible and transparent.

In an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Kamara expressed deep dissatisfaction with the outcome of the June 24, 2023 elections, citing a lack of transparency and accountability.

Kamara highlighted that the APC remains aggrieved by what they perceive as an unfair and non-transparent electoral process, resulting in a loss of credibility. He emphasized the party’s continued call for the publication of aggregated results from each polling station by the Electoral Commission. Additionally, the APC has demanded the resignation of the head of the Electoral Commission and senior commission members, citing a lack of credibility.

Despite a report from a Tripartite Committee recommending changes to President Maada Bio, which some political observers believe eased political tension, Dr. Kamara insists on a re-election. He stated his willingness to meet with President Bio to address concerns over future reforms.

Kamara identified “divergent areas” as a major issue, explaining that there was no resolution on how to manage the disputed election results, which both he and the APC rejected. He noted that while the committee report acknowledged these divergent areas, it failed to propose solutions for moving forward. The APC’s own processed results indicated that Dr. Kamara received 57.15% of the vote, compared to President Bio’s 39.40%.

Addressing the way forward, Dr. Kamara emphasized the importance of resolving the divergent areas to reflect the will of the people. He expressed hope for convergence over time and stressed the moral responsibility of Sierra Leone’s leadership to uphold democratic principles and satisfy the electorate’s expectations.

When asked about the call for a re-run, Dr. Kamara affirmed that it is both his and the APC’s stance, as reflected in the Tripartite Committee’s report and the APC’s position paper. He reiterated the need for leadership to genuinely address the dissatisfaction expressed by voters through their ballots.

Kamara confirmed his openness to dialogue with President Bio to ease political tension and address the lack of convergent views. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging the fundamental issues with the electoral process and finding a way to meet the expectations of Sierra Leoneans.