AUC chief condemns recent violent protests in Sierra Leone

Addis Ababa : The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat has condemned the recent acts of violent protests in Sierra Leone.

The AU Commission chairperson expresses “deep concern over the violent protests in Sierra Leone on August 10, 2022, which resulted in loss of life and the destruction of property,” said an AU statement issued on late Thursday.

Faki condemned the acts of violence as he urged all stakeholders to refrain from further violence and engage in constructive dialogue within the parameters of the democratic process to maintain the stability that Sierra Leone has enjoyed since the end of the civil war in 2002.

He reaffirmed the pan-African bloc’s commitment to accompanying the government and people of Sierra Leone in the restoration of normalcy, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Wednesday, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, and some other parts of the country, calling on the government to grapple with the issue of the economic hardship and high cost of living. The protest disrupted businesses with shops remaining closed across the national capital for fear of being attacked by protesters.

Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on Wednesday declared in a TV broadcast a nationwide curfew following the massive protest in the West African country, saying it is a measure to calm down the situation and return the country to normalcy. The government has invoked the military to work alongside the police to react to the protest in the country.

A statement issued by the Sierra Leone police said on Thursday that four police officers were killed in Wednesday’s nationwide protest, while 113 protesters were arrested by the police.