Sierra Leone Minister Slams Opposition Boycott of Parliament

Sierra Leone’s information minister, Mohamed Raman Swaray, says opposition party lawmakers who boycotted parliament on Thursday betrayed their constituencies’ desire to be represented. The parliament met for the first time yesterday after the June 24 elections. The electoral commission said the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) won a majority of seats (81) compared to 54 seats for the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party. However, the APC boycotted the proceeding and said it will not participate at any level of governance because it says the government tampered with the election results. Information minister Swaray says SLPP parliamentarians along with one APC member took their oaths of office and also elected a speaker.