By Septimus Senessie in Kono
Provisional
results from the Paramount Chieftainy Member of Parliament election
in Kono show that the incumbent has been defeated. PC Sheku Fasuluku
Sonsiama 111 of Sandor Chiefdom polled 4,167 votes against the
incumbent PC Fengai Korgbende Kaimachiede of Gbense chiefdom who
polled 4,050 votes.
Sources,
among them Paramount Chiefs who cannot be named, say the election was
contested along outright party line with the APC backing one
candidate and the SLPP supporting another. Some further told Politico
that the election had brought nothing but divide among the chiefs.
Both men did well
in their strnghold. In Sandor chiefdom PC Fasuluku polled 983 while
chief Kamachiende polled 316. In Gbense Kaimachiende polled 1,072 and
his chanleenger Fasuluku polled 196.
310 votes were
declared invalid.
According
to civil society activists and the local observers in the districts,
voting in some chiefdoms could not start till 6 pm. Mohamed Alpha
Jalloh, coordinator of a community-based organization Knowledge for
Community Emporment Development Organization (KOCEPO), told Politico
that votiong in some chiefdoms continued until the following day. He
described the election as a test case for NEC as election materials
did not arrive early. He said NEC should learn from their mistakes in
the PC MP election to avoid violence during Saturday's elections.
An
official of NEC told Politico
off the records that in Soa chiefdom voting did not end until noon on
the following day.
When contacted for
his reaction, the NEC District Returning Officer in Kono, Momoh
Kanneh declined to comment.
