Ghana’s presidential election has been won by incumbent President John Mahama (photo), the electoral commission has announced. The electoral commission said that Mr Mahama had won 50.7% against his NPP rival Nana Akufo-Addo on 47.74%. The announcement came hours after the opposition accused the governing party of conspiring with commission staff to fix Friday’s poll. President Mahama urged "all leaders of all political parties to respect the voice of the people". "The voice (...)

An open letter to the Ag. Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Makeni, Rev Fr.Natalio Paganelli and all the Makeni diocesan membership. From: Anthony K. Kamara Snr in Canada Dear Rev Father Paganelli, Greetings to you in the Mighty name of the Creator God and a warm welcome to our Diocese and wish you every success in the very important task that led to your appointment. Indeed Rome sees you as an impartial umpire in the game of church politics which beset our Northern Diocese in (...)

Commentary By Dr Yusuf Bangura, Switzerland. The results of the 2012 elections confirm a point in my previous piece (“Thoughts on Sierra Leone’s 2012 Presidential Elections”) that Sierra Leone is being transformed into a lopsided bipolar polity. Bipolarity in this context refers to a situation in which two ethnic groups or ethno-regional blocs dominate politics and influence voting behaviour. It does not mean that every person in each of the contending blocs votes the (...)

Commentary By Gabriel A. Johnson, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The recently concluded general elections in Sierra Leone demonstrates that, despite all odds, our country having risen up from the ashes of civil war, is again blazing the trail for democracy in the continent of Africa. I also have this sinking feeling that the defeated party – the SLPP - is taking all the wrong lessons from this election, which in the future may pose a problem for the country, and democracy at large. (...)

Analysis By Dr. Peter A. Dumbuya, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Introduction The 1991 Constitution (Section 42(2)(e & f)) mandates a 55 percent valid vote victory for a candidate to be elected president of Sierra Leone. Failing that, the president is elected by a simple majority in a second election from the two candidates with the highest number of votes. Since the reintroduction of multi-party politics in 1996, after an 18-year hiatus, a certain trend is beginning to emerge in the (...)

Opinion By Alie Formeh Kamara, USA. Sierra Leone’s 2012 Presidential elections is a turning point in the history of Sierra Leone. It is important for several reasons chief of which is that Sierra Leoneans voted in massive numbers to chose between the politics of yesterday versus the politics of the future. This is synonymous with choosing between the politics of violence versus the politics of peace or choosing between the politics of retrogression, thievery and corruption versus (...)

(Notes for event by Master of Ceremonies, Handel Kashope Wright) 7:00pm, 5th November, 2012 The Coast Plaza Hotel, 1763 Comox Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada Good evening and welcome to a Celebration of the Life of Andrew Alimamy Kamara (photo), father to Thoronka and Alimamy, ex-husband to Cecilia, life partner to Tracey, friend to many in the Sierra Leonean and African communities both at home and in the diaspora; colleague to folks at the American Consulate a,nd member of the running (...)

By Sekou D. Bangura, New Jersey, USA. Ibrahim Sineh Yilla who passed away in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, on November 10th 2012 was born in Kambia District, northern region of Sierra Leone on September 23rd 1950. He was 62 years old. The son of the late Sineh Yilla and Mariama Kamara, he was a career diplomat who worked in the Sierra Leone Civil Service for over 31 years. A true patriot, a selfless and dedicated Sierra Leonean, he served as Minister Counselor, Head of Chancery at the Embassy of (...)

The United States congratulated Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Koroma Friday on his reelection, noting the democratic progress the west African country has made since the end of a civil war a decade ago, AFP reports. "The people of Sierra Leone have made their voices heard," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement, according to the French news agency. Koroma was sworn in to a second term Friday in Freetown after winning 58 percent of the vote in the November 17 (...)

New Life United African Church Annual Awards New Life United African Church celebrates another successful award banquet in 2012. It was held at the prestigious Lombardo’s Hall in Randolph on November 3rd, 2012. The MCs for this year’s event were, Mrs. Claudia Temple and Mr. Abu Carpenter. The Pastor of the church, Rev. Osman Mansaray in his opening remarks said, the award ceremony is in line with the church’s vision. His vision is to recognize and reward individuals that (...)