1951 Sierra Leonean general election
General elections were held in Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate in November 1951.
Electoral system
editThe 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
editOnly five of the seven directly-elected constituencies were contested, with candidates running unopposed in two of the rural constituencies.[2]
Results
editThe 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]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Council | 3 | |||
| Sierra Leone People's Party | 2 | |||
| Independents | 2 | |||
| Indirectly-elected members | 14 | |||
| Appointed members | 7 | |||
| Government officials | 7 | |||
| Total | 35 | |||
| Total votes | 3,726 | – | ||
| 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
editThe SLPP's Milton Margai was appointed Chief Minister in 1953.
References
edit- ^ Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1886
- ^ a b c Sternberger et al., pp1889−1890
- ^ Akintola Wyse (2003) H. C. Bankole-Bright and Politics in Colonial Sierra Leone, 1919-1958, Cambridge University Press, p159
- ^ Sierra Leone: Political parties Nations Encyclopedia