FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) – Sierra Leone’s president on Wednesday fired his vice president, who was kicked out of their political party earlier this month on accusations of fomenting violence and trying to form a new party.
Early Wednesday, President Ernest Bai Koroma announced that he had removed Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana from office, citing a constitutional requirement that anyone running for vice president be a member of a political party.
Sam-Sumana was expelled from the ruling All People’s Congress political party on March 6. The party statement made several accusations against Sam-Sumana including that he was instigating unrest. Sam-Sumana has rejected the accusations against him.
On March 14, soldiers disarmed the security team at Sam-Sumana’s residence. He then fled, saying he didn’t feel safe, and asked the U.S. embassy for asylum. The U.S. did not grant asylum and urged all sides to resolve the problem through the rule of law.
Earlier this week, Sam-Sumana returned to his home and a group of the country’s political parties tried to negotiate a solution.