Sierra Leone president poised to win re-election

Supporters of President Kabbah of Sierra Leone's People's Party dance near the party office Saturday.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (CNN) -- The president of Sierra Leone appeared headed toward re-election Saturday evening, as officials said he had won 12 of 14 districts with 60 percent of the vote.

President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, 70, of the Sierra Leone People's Party, was rivaled only by wealthy businessman Ernest Koroma of the All People's Congress. Kabbah led Sierra Leone through the nation's devastating decade-long civil war, from which it emerged two years ago.

Presidents are limited by law to two five-year terms.

The two uncounted precincts, located in the north, were having trouble tallying votes, said National Electoral Commission Chairman Walter Nicol.

A final count could be delayed until Sunday afternoon, he added.

The news media reported a high voter turnout among the nation's 2.3 million registered voters, nearly half the nation's 5 million residents.

Contentious issues of the campaign included education and the economy. The war has left one of the world's poorest nations in a shambles, with unemployment at 70 percent. Two-thirds of the country's inhabitants live on an equivalent of less than a dollar a day. Sierra Leone's main export -- diamonds -- generated just $26 million last year.

Education was a major campaign issue because 80 percent of the nation is illiterate.

The election was monitored by some 17,500 United Nations peacekeeping troops -- the largest U.N. peacekeeping contingent in the world. The election also received endorsements from the European Union, The Carter Center headed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and The Commonwealth Nations of former British colonies.