MR. STEVENS READING MESSAGE AT STATE HOUSE; MR. STEVENS IN CAR; JOYOUS CROWDS; RM. STEVENS DRIVEN THROUGH JOYOUS CROWDS; MR. STEVENS WITH MEMBERS OF ANTI-CORRUPTION REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT.




Initials RM/V/JH/SC



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Background: FREETOWN, CAPITAL OF SIERRA LEONE, BURST INTO JOY ON SATURDAY AS THE NATION'S NEW CIVILIAN PRIME MINISTER, MR. SIAKA STEVENS, WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE CITY. HIS ELECTION FOLLOWS THE SUCCESS OF THE MILITARY MUTINY WHICH LAST WEEK OVERTHREW THE ARMY LEADERS WHO TOOK OVER THE GOVERNMENT FROM CIVILIANS AFTER A COUP LAST YEAR.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS IN THE SIERRA LEONE ARMY STAGED THEIR MUTINY BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEIR OFFICERS, WHO HAD TAKEN OVER FROM THE CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT, HAD BECOME CORRUPT AND DID NOT INTEND TO HAND OVER TO CIVILIAN RULE AGAIN. THE SUCCESSFUL MUTINEERS FORMED AN ANTI-CORRUPTION REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT AND NATIONAL INTERIM COUNCIL IN PREPARATION FOR RETURN TO CIVILIAN RULE.

SOME 70 SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES AT LAST YEAR'S GENERAL ELECTIONS MET ON FRIDAY TO CHOOSE A LEADER OF A NEW NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. MR. STEVENS, A FORMER PRIME MINISTER, FLEW HOME FROM SELF-EXILE IN GUINEA TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND WAS ELECTED TO LEAD THE GOVERNMENT. IN A NATIONWIDE RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCAST, MR. STEVENS CALLED ON THE PEOPLE TO FORGET THE PAST AND WORK TO ENABLE SIERRA LEONE TO TAKE ITS PLACE AMONG THE NATIONS OF AFRICA AND THE WORLD.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TOOK TO THE STREETS OF FREETOWN TO HAIL THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. STEVENS AS PRIME MINISTER. SIERRA LEONE MADE HISTORY IN WEST AFRICA BY BEING THE FIRST COUNTRY WHERE THE ARMY HA HANDED OVER TO CIVILIANS. AFTER HIS SPEECH, MR. STEVENS DROVE THROUGH THE STREETS OF FREETOWN TO RECEIVE THE TUMULTUOUS APPROVAL OF THE PEOPLE. CELEBRATIONS IN FREETOWN CONTINUED WELL INTO THE NIGHT.