Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 25, 2007

Sierra Leone Presidential Runoff Set for September 8
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=18FB5E3:A6F02AD83191E160F4BFA030FF869F809574F7DCC14957C0 National Electoral
Commission announced runoff date after officials indicated no
candidate won required 55 percent





Pedestrians pass in front of a campaign banner for presidential
candidate and current vice president Solomon Berewa following the
close of the polls, in Freetown Officials in Sierra Leone have set
September 8 for the runoff between the top two vote getters in
August's presidential election in the West African nation.

The National Electoral Commission announced the runoff date Saturday
after officials indicated no candidate won the required 55 percent.

The commission says Vice President Solomon Berewa of the ruling Sierra
Leone People's Party will face Ernest Koroma of the opposition All
People's Congress Party (APC) in the second round of balloting.

The vice president faces an uphill battle after third-place candidate,
Charles Margai, said he would support Koroma in a runoff.







APC candidate Earnest KoromaKoroma garnered 44 percent support against
Mr. Berewa's 38 percent in the first round.

Koroma's party won a majority in parliament. The APC took 59 of the
assembly's 112 seats.  The ruling Sierra Leone People's Party, which
dominated the last parliament, won only 43 seats.

Outgoing President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah is constitutionally barred from
running for a third term.

The election was the second since Sierra Leone emerged from a brutal
11-year civil war that ended in 2002.  It is the first vote since
United Nations peacekeepers withdrew two years ago.


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