FEAR GRIPS SIERRA LEONE CAPITAL AFTER PRE-POLL CLASH

In Sierra Leone, People are rushing to markets in the capital to stock up on food ahead of elections on Saturday.

It follows a stand-off on Wednesday between the security forces and supporters of the main opposition party that reportedly left at least one person dead.

Businesses shut down briefly amid the chaos and there is now a palpable fear that there could be further violence after Saturday’s poll.

Sidi Yahya Tunis, spokesperson for the opposition All People’s Congress (APC), told the Reuters news agency that one of the party’s supporters had been killed by the police.

Police director of operations Mohamed Braima Jah said no shots had been fired by officers, accusing the protesters of firing the shots:

Local media say about 66 people have been arrested.

The trouble started after the APC called for a demonstration over allegations that the election commission’s electoral roll was incorrect.

Around 3.4 million people are registered to vote.

The election is the fifth since Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war officially ended in 2002.

President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election for a second and final term in office.

His main challenger is the APC’s Samura Kamara, who came a close second in the last election in 2018.

One of the biggest campaign issues has been about soaring prices – inflation reached about 43% in April