Sierra Leone is to have its general election on Saturday, and the related sides here are ready for it Friday.

Election Observer teams from the European Union, Commonwealth, Carter Center, African Union and Economic Community of West African States have called on the people of Sierra Leone to demonstrate a sense of responsibility during and after the polls.

Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Christiana Thorpe, in a radio talk show Friday assured all Sierra Leoneans that the "National Electoral Commission will ensure it makes a level playing field for free, fair and credible elections."

Thorpe emphasized that the Commission was on "full course" and that all electoral materials had now been deployed to the polling centers to begin at exactly 7 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17.

According to her, the final results for the Presidency will be announced within 10 days.

The National Electoral Watch, a local Non-governmental organization, together with other stakeholders, has established a Situation Room WSR "that will oversee and monitor the election process to ensure that voting, counting and announcement of results were carried out without hindrance.

The WSR, comprising a coalition of 45 eminent local and international women's organizations, is also deploying 350 election observers nationwide.

Haja Ilari Cole, Coordinator of the WSR, who was also former Sierra Leone ambassador in Iran, said her organization "is a strategic process to ensure peaceful and non-violence elections as well as increase the active participation of women and youths in the democratic and electoral process in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and 1820."

She said the process aimed at mobilizing, harnessing and employing the expertise and experiences of women in taking action to "prevent any potential conflicts that could emerge during and after elections."

The Inspector General of Police, Francis Munu, assured the nation that the security forces had put mechanisms in place for a violence-free election.

He told Xinhua that 3,000 policemen and other security personnel had been deployed nationwide to ensure security.

Friday has been declared a "cooling off period" when the people of Sierra Leone are expected to reflect on all the challenges facing the country and finally decide on who will steer their future aspirations.

Both independent radio stations and the National Broadcaster, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, which are using the day to undertake voter education, have been cautioned by the country's media regulatory body, Independent Media Commission, to avoid any campaign messages, political advertorials and jingles.

Meanwhile, four of the smaller parties, the United Democratic Party, United National People's Party, Citizen Democratic Party, and National Democratic Party, have decided to give their support to incumbent President Ernest Bai Koroma.

This seems to have given him a big edge over his main political opponent, Brigadier Julius Maada Bio of the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party.

Sierra Leoneans are now looking forward to casting their votes on Saturday to decide who will govern them for the next five years.