As Sierra Leoneans ready to go to the polls, there are growing fears of possible unrest within the week elections will be conducted in Sierra Leone in June.

Being a country that has suffered once a brutal civil war, lasting for eleven years period, the people in Sierra Leone would always express deep fears over violence eruptions at elections times.

Not only Sierra Leoneans home are worried over the country’s instability whenever elections are around, but citizens in other countries also express similar fears.

In fact, most countries which have strong foreign relations with Sierra Leone have long since begun posting messages about Sierra Leone’s situation with regards its fragile security concerns.

A website post by a country in the pacific region warns its citizens who wish to enter Sierra Leone now.

The website amplifies Sierra Leone’s security situation as a critical one with possible chances of the country going to war during or after the elections.

Sierra Leone’s election slated in June 24 this year is thought to be a challenging one.

Both the country’s presidential favourites of the ruling government party, SLPP headed by the incumbent president Julius Maada Bio and the main opposition, APC’s Samuara Kamara, have strong support and clear chances of winning the race.

But porous security concerns are the most talked about now by majority of the people in Sierra Leone and outside.

It’s barely a month to the elections in June. However, most Sierra Leoneans express fear over possible upheavals similar to the 2022 August 10 protest which left police killed and many civilians dead. The protest was on the distasteful conditions of Sierra Leoneans’ living standards and persistent hikes on the pump price of fuel in the country.

The ruling government is making strong moves to secure a second term in office. But such moves are being moved with strong force of police brutality and killings of civilians over the past few years since 2020.

A recent report, supposedly framed by the framers, on the civilian demonstration on August 10 said the violence was motivated by members of the main opposition, APC.

Why the need not to be panic?

Although most Sierra Leoneans in the capital Freetown are expressing deep fear of political unrests in the country, there are others who are not panic-stricken. These people believe that there is no need to express deep fear especially on the D-day of the election. Musa Kamara, an IT tutor at PZ reacted to question asked about their plans whether to stop computer classes from going on not until after June 24 elections. He said the institution is not considering that move.

“I think, for us here, we will only close operation on the day of voting and we resume afterwards” he explained.

As oppose to those who always show deep fears on elections periods in Sierra Leone especially this one this year, Kamara believes it is good to take things easy and go on with your normal business than to create a situation of insecurity for yourself.

Giving his account, it’s good mostly on the part of the country’s electoral commission, ECSL and political parties regulation commission, PPRC not to announce stiff laws or rules that will add on Sierrra Leoneans’ fears.

Such as stopping vehicular movements of people or curtailing travelling from one district to another district during voting day or voting week.