19 Paramount Chieftaincy Elections in October

By Mary Kabay

According to the Director of Local Government, Newman Combey, out of fifty-seven vacancies, nineteen Paramount Chieftaincy elections will be conducted across the country in October, 2020.

National Electoral Commision (NEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has categorized the Paramount Chieftaincy elections into tranches. The first tranche will cover nineteen Chiefdoms.

The districts that fall under the first tranche are Pujehun (1), Moyamba (1), Falaba (1), Koinadugu (1), Karene (4), Tonkolili (4), Bo (1), Kambia (3), and Bombali (1). These vacancies occurred as a result of either deaths or de-amalgamation of Chiefdoms.

Out of forty-one de-amalgamated Chiefdoms created by the previous APC administration led by Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma, the North alone has thirty-seven new Chiefdoms. The South and East put together have only four new Chiefdoms.

Two new districts were also created in the North. The two new districts are Falaba and Karene.

The process of electing new Paramount Chiefs will start with the revision of the Tribal Authorities’ List, declaration of rights and polling.

The remaining thirty-seven Paramount Chieftaincy elections are expected to be conducted next year, according to Mr. Newman Combey.