Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma has the won the presidential election with almost 59% of the votes cast. This results means that no run off is needed because he surpasses the 55% required to be declared the winner.

His main opponent, former military ruler Julius Maada Bio, took 38% of the ballots in a peaceful day of voting. This is the third election in the country since the end of the civil war that lasted from 1991 until 2002. It is also the first time that the United Nations has not run the election.

Turnout was high at over 87%, the country’s electoral commission said.

President Koroma, who came up against eight candidates, won more than 1.3 million votes. In the capital Freetown supporters took to the streets to celebrate that he would lead the country for a second and final term in office.

Mr. Koroma faces the tough challenge of guiding the now peaceful nation towards economic stability.

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/11/20121124121837702408.html