Lieutenant Colonel Musa Donald Gbow has emerged victorious in the Njaluahun Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy election, securing 888 votes at the N/A Court Barray polling centre in Segbwema, Kailahun District. According to the official Polling Centre Summary Result, Gbow's 888 votes represent 71.15 percent of the 1,248 valid votes cast. The election was witnessed and certified by Assessor Chiefs and observed by accredited agents, including Francis B. Johnson of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone.
Gbow's closest challenger, Jajua Lawrence S., polled 311 votes, or 24.92 percent, while other candidates recorded significantly fewer votes. Gbetuwa Samuel B polled 20 votes, Coker-Jajua Christopher Amadu received 15 votes, Gbow Ansumana secured 10 votes, and Jajua Mohamed C received four votes. The polling centre recorded 16 invalid votes, bringing the total number of ballots to 1,264 across six polling streams.
The election followed an extensive declaration and eligibility process, which cleared six candidates to contest the chiefdom's highest traditional office. Official records confirmed Musa Donald Gbow among the six fully qualified aspirants on September 27. Initially, ten aspirants declared their intention to contest the election, but only six were confirmed as qualified after the declaration and verification process.
The eligibility of Momoh Gbetuwa was subjected to a referendum involving 602 Tribal Authorities, but his claim fell short of the required two-thirds threshold, and he was disqualified. Ahead of the election, the High Court in Freetown refused an application by Dr. Momoh Gbetuwa seeking an interim injunction to halt the poll, clearing the way for the election to proceed on September 30, 2026.
The election proceeded peacefully with robust security measures coordinated by ACP Joe Kamanda Bongay, Regional Police Commander for the Eastern Region. Local Unit Commanders from Kailahun and Daru oversaw operations, with no security incidents reported during voting or counting. The result from the N/A Court Barray centre represents only one polling station.
The National Electoral Commission is expected to announce the consolidated result after tallying results from all polling centres across the chiefdom. Community members now await the formal inauguration, where Chief Gbow will assume his traditional leadership responsibilities in accordance with customary practices and Sierra Leone's Chieftaincy Act.
The inauguration is expected to mark a new chapter in the leadership of the Njaluahun Chiefdom, with Lt. Col. Musa Gbow set to play a key role in promoting peace and development in the region. His victory has been met with anticipation and expectation from community members, who look forward to his leadership.
Key points
- Lt. Col. Musa Gbow secured 888 votes to win the Njaluahun Paramount Chieftaincy election.
- The election was witnessed and certified by Assessor Chiefs and observed by accredited agents.
- The National Electoral Commission is expected to announce the consolidated result after tallying results from all polling centres.
