As running battles ensued between the ruling Sierra Leone’s Party (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress (APC) yesterday in the township of Kono, police have to impose a curfew to quell down the situation.
According to our Kono correspondent, the police high command had to impose the curfew so as to save lives and property as the situation was getting out of hands between youth of both parties.
The dispatch indicated that all residents were ordered to remain indoors until 6am.
It was alleged that a close confidante of President Kabbah, one Isata Jabbie, was reportedly holding a meeting with SLPP supporters at the barricaded Sia Thorlley Street.
This, the report stated, did not go down well with supporters of the APC who were about to use the same outlet to hold a similar meeting.
Eventually it was alleged that arguments ensued, which paved the way for missile throwing from both parties and as the fighting intensified, the aggravated youths took to the streets.
What added fuel to the situation was when the poster of the APC leader was destroyed by SLPP supporters.
The police swiftly moved into action and dispersed both parties’ supporters by firing teargas canisters in the air.
Meanwhile, a similar scenario was reported at Waterloo. According to the chairman of the Western Area Rural District Council (WARDC), councillor Alieu Badara Mansaray, early yesterday morning supporters of the All People’s Congress (APC) learnt that their leader will be visiting the Waterloo community as part of the run-off campaign.
He added that upon getting this information, supporters went round the community to inform their colleagues about the visitation of their leader.
Chairman Badara alleged that the supporters then went to a place called “Home Base” 50- yards off the Bassa Town Field where the meeting with Ernest Bai Koroma and the duly elected parliamentary candidate of that constituency Hon. Chukuma Johnson would be having a meeting.
Councillor Badara further alleged that supporters of the APC, who were at the Home Base, asked others to move from that place because their leader would be coming there.
He claimed that the people at Home Base refused and that it was from there that the fracas started.
According to Superintendent Osman Kamara of the Waterloo Police Station, an APC supporter was announcing the would-be visit of Ernest Bai Koroma when an SLPP supporter went and stabbed the APC supporter, which led other APC supporters to retaliate.
As of the time of going to press, six people were severely injured and three arrests were made.
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