On Friday, the current President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, and his wife received their voter ID cards. President Bio recalled an incident in 2012 when it took a month for him to receive his ID card and he had to protest to get it. He urged Sierra Leoneans to peacefully exercise their right to vote and to keep their voter ID cards safe.
The First Lady also received her voter ID card and expressed her support for her husband's candidacy. She encouraged women to participate in the electoral process but to refrain from violence. The process of distributing voter ID cards began on Friday and will last for nine days until April 16th. The elections are set for June 24th, and political analysts predict tough competition between the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All People's Congress (APC). “It took them a month for them to give me my ID card (in 2012). I had to protest before my ID card was issued to me,” Bio said. “I want everyone to collect their voter’s ID cards and keep safe to vote peacefully,” he said. “At least I know now that I will be voting for Maada Bio,” the First Lady said. “Women should not be intimidated and they should also not use them for violence,” she said.