This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
Sierra Leone's opposition candidate Julius Maada Bio has made history by winning the country's presidential election, defeating incumbent President Ernest Bai Koroma's ruling All People's Congress (APC) candidate Samura Kamara.
Maada Bio, a former military junta leader who briefly ruled Sierra Leone in 1996, won 51.81% of the votes cast in the March 31, 2018, poll, according to the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
He defeated Samura Kamara, who had held a slight lead based on partial results earlier in the day but ultimately garnered 48.19% of the votes.
Maada Bio's victory marks a significant shift in Sierra Leone's politics, as he replaces outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was unable to seek re-election due to term limits.
Maada Bio now faces the daunting task of rebuilding the impoverished West African nation's economy, which was severely impacted by the world's deadliest Ebola epidemic and a global slump in commodity prices.
Maada Bio's inauguration took place on March 31, 2018, just hours after the elections commission announced his victory in a tight run-off poll.
