US stops visas for Sierra Leone election meddlers

The US government has announced that it will not issue visas to Sierra Leone officials who undermined elections held in the West African nation in June.

“Under this policy, the United States will pursue visa restrictions for those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Sierra Leone, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement.

Individuals who had intimidated voters, election observers or civil society organisations or violated or abused human rights in Sierra Leone would also be denied US visas, he said.

This would also affect some of the relatives, he added.

Those on the blacklist were not identified in his statement.

Incumbent President Julius Maada Bio won the election with 56% of the vote. His main rival, Samura Kamara, who gained 41%, called the outcome “daylight robbery” and alleged that his electoral agents were not allowed to verify the ballot counting.

International election observers did highlight problems with transparency in the tallying process.

The campaign had been marred by several violent incidents involving both of the country’s main political parties.