COMMUNIQUE
OF A SPECIAL MEETING CONVENED BY
HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT
ALHAJI DR AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH
OF THE TWO MAIN POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS
ON THE FORTHCOMING RUN-OFF ELECTIONS
TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER 2007
Following the successful Second Security Consultative Conference on Election held on Saturday 1st September 2007, His Excellency the President, Alhaji Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah summoned a meeting of the leaders of the two main political parties, Honourable Ernest Bai Koroma, Leader and Presidential Candidate of the All People's Congress Party and the Honourable Solomon Ekuma Berewa, Leader and Presidential Candidate of the Sierra Leone People's Party in order to follow-up on the recommendations of that Consultative Meeting and to develop an Action Plan for their implementation.
This is considered necessary in order to ensure that the success attained in the first round of elections is maintained or even improved upon in the interest of maintaining peace and stability. In view of this the meeting agreed that the two leaders should strengthen their mutual trust and confidence which should flow down to their supporters in particular and the nation in general.
In order to achieve this, the meeting identified the following matters of concern which should be dealt with immediately:
" The use of ex-combatants and vigilante groups by political parties and the assignment to them of security roles in party activities has been found to be negative and counter-productive and it is hereby banned. In this regard, the Sierra Leone Police is instructed to verify the compliance with this ban and to enforce it. The security of the premises of the political parties and activities is the responsibility of the Sierra Leone Police at all times. In addition, the Sierra Leone Police will provide adequate security for the two leaders.
Any persons in possession of arms and offensive weapons or objects will be arrested and prosecuted.
While appreciating the role being played currently by the Sierra Leone Police they are urged to be more robust and impartial in carrying out their functions to underscore the fact that nobody is above the law.
The two leaders agreed to develop their inter-personal relationship and the exchange of information on matters concerning the elections and national security.
The two leaders agreed that political parties are allowed to have marshals with distinctive T-shirts for crowd control purposes during party functions and should not be armed.
Based on information received, the security forces have been instructed to ferret out and expose any existing unauthorised military training activities and initiation ceremonies aimed at causing subversive activities against the state and the people of Sierra Leone.
The rumour of possible disruption of the peace before, during and after the elections has been received by the security forces who are under instructions to deal with it. In this regard the two leaders agreed to share information in support of the security forces.
Security arrangements for VIPs should be provided by the Sierra Leone Police and not by the RSLAF. In this regard, the Ministry of Defence is under instruction to withdraw all military personnel posted to VIPs and other areas outside of the existing MACP directives.
The two leaders strongly condemn all actions of intimidation, harassment and use of provocative language, physical violence directed at any person/persons or the malicious destruction of property for any reason.
Both leaders agreed to always treat each other with respect and decorum and urge other political leaders and their followers to do the same. In pursuance to the above, the two leaders agreed with His Excellency that to demonstrate their commitment to the peaceful conduct of the run-off elections, to undertake, in a grand finale, a joint peace rally in Freetown which is to be replicated simultaneously in the provinces.
This Communiqué comes into effect immediately upon signature and remains in force indefinitely.
THE LODGE
HILL STATION
FREETOWN
SUNDAY, 2ND SEPTEMBER 2007
HON. SOLOMON EKUMA BEREWA
LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE OF THE S.L.P.P
HON. ERNEST BAI KOROMA
LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE OF THE A.P.C
ALHAJI DR AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
SIERRA LEONE
-END-
A woman is helped by a member of the polling staff to cast her vote at a polling station in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in first-round elections on August 11, 2007. 
The results of Saturday's presidential run-off elections in Sierra Leone are being tallied, and early data indicated that opposition leader Ernest Bai Koroma of All People's Congress (APC) was out front with 64 percent support. Vice President Solomon Berewa of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) had garnered 36 percent support, according to the country's election commission.

However, only 18 percent of the polls had been tallied so far and the election commission pointed out that the early poll results came mainly from an area in western Sierra Leone having strong support for APC. It could take up to 12 days to count all the votes. For the results that have been tabulated, voter turnout has been determined to be approximately 73 percent.

The lead-up to the run-off election had been marred by reports of violence and, on election day, monitors had observed some irregularities such as ballot box stuffing and excessive voter registrations. However, most observers, both domestic and international, agreed that the elections were carried out in an orderly fashion.

On September 2, the two presidential candidates signed a communiqué, which outlined ten "matters of concern" to be dealt with "immediately". The agreement laid out a framework for cooperation on issues such as security and a weapons ban. There was a declaration to condemn "all actions of intimidation, harassment and use of provocative language, physical violence directed at any person/persons or the malicious destruction of property for any reason."

One group of election monitors from the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDIIA) expressed their satisfaction with the election process. "Despite heightened tension and several reported instances of election-related violence during the campaign period, the delegation considers that the overall electoral process was generally transparent and peaceful," said NDIIA in a statement on September 10.
People queue in the rain to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections outside a polling station in Freetown, Sierra Leone, August 11, 2007. 
The September 8 run-off elections followed the first round of presidential and parliamentary elections held on August 11, which were the second held since 2002 after the end of the civil war. Opposition leader Koroma, 54, garnered 44 percent of the vote, while Berewa, 69, won 38 percent support. Should Koroma win ultimately, it would mark the APC's return to power for the first time since it was overthrown in a 1992 coup.

In a statement following Saturday's run-off elections, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed Mr. Ban's support for the process. "The Secretary-General is pleased to note that the second round of the presidential election in Sierra Leone took place on September 8 in a generally orderly and peaceful atmosphere, in spite of the tensions and violence that marred the campaign period. The Secretary-General urges the political parties and people of Sierra Leone to exercise restraint as counting of the ballots proceeds and to resolve all arising disputes through the existing legal channels."

Spokesman for the U.S. Department of State Sean McCormack relayed the sentiment of the administration. "The United States congratulates the Republic of Sierra Leone for the peaceful presidential run-off electoral process on September 8, 2007. We commend the independent National Electoral Commission, the Sierra Leone Police, and especially the people of Sierra Leone for the overall calm and sense of order shown as voters cast their ballots."

The winning candidate will take over from current president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah who, by law, must step down after his current, second term in office.