Sierra Leone awaits results after crucial vote

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FREETOWN, Aug 12 (AFP): Sierra Leone Sunday was awaiting the results of crucial presidential and parliamentary elections seen as a test of whether the west African nation has fully emerged from its bloody past.
Ballot counting was under way across the country where electricty, often a rare commodity, was turned on for most of the night in the capital Freetown.
Partial results were due to start coming in Sunday morning, with Vice President Solomon Berewa of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) expected to face a stiff challenge for president, from Ernest Koroma of the opposition All People's Congress (APC).
Early partial returns -- about three percent -- compiled by the country's Independent Radio Network from results obtained at counting centres show APC, the one-time sole ruling party in the country, ahead of SLPP.
The trend so far shows that both parties maintained dominance in their traditional strongholds, APC in the north and SLPP in the south where, however, it is being challenged by the People's Movement for Democratic Change, its offshoot party.
If none of the presidential hopefuls garners at least 55 percent of the ballots cast, a second round of voting will take place.
President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who has led the country for two five-year terms, was not eligible to stand for re-election.
Voting was peaceful, although some polling stations opened late and many people had to wait in long lines under the rain to cast their ballots.