Jump to content

1951 Sierra Leonean general election

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

General elections were held in Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate in November 1951.

Electoral system

[edit]

The 1947 constitution expanded the Legislative Council to 35 members, of which seven were government officials, seven were appointed Europeans, fourteen were Africans indirectly elected from the Protectorate (ten from District Councils and two from the Protectorate Assembly) and seven were Africans directly elected from the Colony.[1] Around 5,000 people were registered to vote.[2]

Campaign

[edit]

Only five of the seven directly-elected constituencies were contested, with candidates running unopposed in two of the rural constituencies.[2]

Results

[edit]

The National Council (NCSL) won three of the seven elected seats, and the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) two.[3] However, the SLPP gained the support of the indirectly elected protectorate representatives.[4]

A total of 3,276 votes were cast; 2,438 in the three Freetown constituencies and 838 (550 and 288) in the two contested rural constituencies.[2]

PartyVotes%Seats
National Council3
Sierra Leone People's Party2
Independents2
Indirectly-elected members14
Appointed members7
Government officials7
Total35
Total votes3,726
Source: Wyse, Sternberger et al.

Elected members

[edit]
Party Elected member
Directly-elected
National Council Herbert Bankole-Bright
C M A Thompson
J Rogers Williams
Sierra Leone People's Party A G Randle
M S Mustapha
Independents I. T. A. Wallace-Johnson
J C O Crowther
Indirectly-elected
Bo District R B S Koker
Bonthe District Milton Margai
Bombali District Bai Farima Tass II
Kailahum District Bokari Sambi of Daru
Kenema District Kenewa Gamanga
Moyamba District W H Fitzjohn
Port Loko District Alkali Modu III
Pujehun District Jaia Kaikai
Tonkolili District Bai Kurr
Protectorate Assembly Siaka Stevens
Albert Margai
Source: Wyse

Aftermath

[edit]

The SLPP's Milton Margai was appointed Chief Minister in 1953.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1886
  2. ^ a b c Sternberger et al., pp1889−1890
  3. ^ Akintola Wyse (2003) H. C. Bankole-Bright and Politics in Colonial Sierra Leone, 1919-1958, Cambridge University Press, p159
  4. ^ Sierra Leone: Political parties Nations Encyclopedia