Violence flares in Sierra Leone ahead of presidential vote
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00:00 Equipped with AK-47s, flashball cannons and even sniper rifles,
00:06 heavily armed security forces cracked down on an opposition rally in Freetown.
00:11 Days before heading to the polls, dozens of protesters had been calling for the head of Sierra Leone's Electoral Commission to step down.
00:19 We are here to protest because we want a credible election.
00:23 All we are asking for, we don't have a problem with the government of the day.
00:27 We just want a credible election.
00:30 Last week, opposition leader Samura Kamara questioned the impartiality of the commission
00:36 and called for it to be replaced by an independent international body ahead of Saturday's vote.
00:42 But the accusations were rejected by the head of the commission and by Sierra Leone's president Julius Madabio,
00:49 who's running for a second term.
00:51 On Tuesday, he called for a peaceful vote and said he wouldn't tolerate any form of violence.
00:58 I want to appeal to everybody.
01:02 We want a peaceful election.
01:05 No violence.
01:07 You have your card on that day. Go and vote.
01:11 Seen as the frontrunner, Biyo has been hailed for his progressive policies,
01:15 including boosting access to education and women's representation in politics.
01:21 But critics have denounced shrinking civic liberties under his rule
01:25 and an excessive use of force to silence protests.
01:29 (glass shattering)