By Ebi Kesiena
British A-list actor Idris Elba, who also has Sierra Leonean citizenship and heritage, has called for a peaceful general election in Sierra Leone, which will take place on Saturday.
According to Elba, young people possess the power to vote in credible candidates adding that if the country is destroyed due to violence, it will be down to Sierra Leonean to have to patch it back up again.
“This election, please let it be peaceful and our young people must be reminded that they have the “power” in this vote.
“Not only is the world watching but the whole of Africa’’ he said in a message in pidgin English.
Elba’s comments came on the same day that the commonwealth observer group in Sierra Leone, led by former Nigerian vice-president Professor Yemi Osinbajo, called for peaceful elections to reflect the will of the people.
“The eyes of more than 2.5 billion people of the commonwealth, more than 60% of whom are young people under the age of 30, will be upon Sierra Leone. Watching, in solidarity and in hope,” Professor Osinbajo said.
On Saturday Sierra Leoneans will go to the pools. This will be the country’s sixth presidential vote since a military takeover in 1992.
It will see the incumbent, President Julius Maada bio of the Sierra Leone people’s party (SLPP), go up against Dr Samura Kamara of All people’s congress (APC).
However, there have been arrests of critical opposition voices in the run-up to the elections.
