Sierra Leone's President Mr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, credited with ending a decade of savage war, has been elected for a new five-year term, the electoral commission said today.
Mr Kabbah won 70.03 per cent of the vote from Tuesday's election - well over the 55 percent he needed to avoid a runoff.
"By the constitution of Sierra Leone I do hereby declare Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah as duly elected president," said electoral commission chairman Mr Walter Nicol.
Presidential and parliamentary elections are meant to give the impoverished West African country a fresh start after a war that cost an estimated 50,000 lives.
Mr Kabbah (70) is given credit by Sierra Leoneans for bringing in the biggest current UN peacekeeping force to allow disarmament of rebels and government militia forces.