FREETOWN (Reuters) – Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio secured victory in the West African country’s presidential election with more than 56% of the votes to avoid a run-off against main rival Samura Kamara, the nation’s electoral commission said on Tuesday.
Bio, 59, was running for re-election after a first term marred by growing frustration over economic hardship.
Kamara, 72, who suffered a narrow defeat in the 2018 election, received about 41% of the votes this time.
The election has been tense, with violent unrest before, during and after the vote.
(Reporting by Cooper Inveen and Umaru Fofana; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alison Williams and David Goodman)
