Candidates quit SLeone election
01/07/2008 21:32  - (SA)  

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Freetown - Sierra Leone's electoral commission revealed on Tuesday that a significant number of candidates for upcoming local elections had withdrawn, complaining of harassment.

With only five days to go before polling the commission said that a number of wards and a mayoral seat will not be contested after the withdrawal of candidates.

"We have received a total of 71 withdrawals, with 14 out of the 38 uncontested seats due to the withdrawals of candidates," Chief Electoral Commissioner, Christiana Thorpe said. The people who withdrew were mainly women.

The run-up to the elections has been marred by reports of threats and harassment of independent female candidates. Observers said the reason women candidates seemed to be singled out for harassment were prevailing traditional ideas about a woman's role in society.

In all there are 394 wards that will be voted on. All the 38 uncontested seats will go to candidates from the ruling All People's Congress (APC), the election's office said.

Saturday's vote is seen as a test of popularity for the APC which came into power in September last year.

- SAPA

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