Sierra Leone’s President Sweeps First Postwar Vote

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone —  Sierra Leone’s president was declared the winner Sunday of the first postwar vote in his conflict-scarred West African nation, as voters sweepingly rejected the party of former rebels.

Ahmad Tejan Kabbah won 70.6% of the vote in Tuesday’s election, the National Electoral Commission announced. That was well above the 55% he needed to avoid a runoff.

Radio announcements of the outcome sent people of Freetown, the capital, running out into the shell- and bullet-pocked streets for a heartfelt, impromptu celebration.

Waving the palm frond symbols adopted by Kabbah’s supporters, they danced and sang in the roads as taxis wove among them, honking their horns.

Citizens credited Kabbah with resisting the rebels during their 10-year campaign here, which killed tens of thousands of Sierra Leone’s people.

Countless more people live today with the legacy of the rebels’ trademark atrocity: lopping off victims’ arms, feet, hands and lips with machetes.

Kabbah’s supporters also credit him with helping to bring in the U.N. and British forces that crushed the rebels starting in 2000.

Kabbah’s party also did unexpectedly well in parliament, despite predictions that his rank-and-file politicians would bear the brunt of voters’ unhappiness over continuing corruption.

His Sierra Leone People’s Party won 83 of the 112 seats.

Ernest Koroma, the next-closest contender in a field of nine presidential candidates, received 22.35% of the vote.

Since disarming last year, the rebels have tried to reform themselves into a political party. But with their leader, Foday Sankoh, in jail, the man they fielded in the race won just 1.7% of the vote.

In addition, rebels won no seats in parliament. Their campaign headquarters, donated by the government, has been increasingly glum and deserted.