The All People’s Congress (APC) has formally written to Statistics Sierra Leone expressing deep concern over what it calls repeated exclusion from key activities tied to the ongoing 2026 Population and Housing Census.
In a letter dated 1 August 2026 and signed by National Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya, the main opposition party questioned the transparency and inclusiveness of the census process.
The APC argued that it has been denied access to critical census-related information and monitoring activities.
According to the letter, the party’s concerns stem from alleged exclusion from monitoring the cartographic mapping exercises as well as the ongoing mock tests of census tools.
It further accused Statistics Sierra Leone of failing to acknowledge or respond to several of its earlier correspondences on census matters.
The APC also pointed to public statements by SLPP National Publicity Secretary Moses Mambu, which it claimed suggested that the ruling party had access to real-time mapping data and final mapping results. While the SLPP appeared to possess detailed information on census activities, opposition officials said they had been limited only to updates shared during Census Advisory Committee meetings.
Party officials maintained that this situation raises serious questions about neutrality, transparency and equal participation in a process that is expected to serve national interests rather than partisan ones.
The APC stressed that political party participation in census monitoring is vital because it strengthens public confidence, promotes adherence to best practices and enhances the credibility of the final results. It noted that similar monitoring arrangements were allowed during the Pilot Census Enumeration conducted in December 2025 and therefore argued that the same access should be granted throughout the current exercise.
The party further complained that disaggregated results from the nationwide cartographic mapping, including enumeration areas by district and chiefdom, have not been made available.
To protect what it described as the credibility and nationwide acceptance of the census, the APC called on Statistics Sierra Leone to:
– Grant equal access to both major political parties to monitor census activities;
– Publish detailed cartographic mapping results; and
– Strictly adhere to international standards and professional best practices.
The opposition also demanded the immediate publication of three key documents and datasets:
1. Results of the Pilot Census Cartographic Mapping conducted between June and July 2025;
2. Findings from the Pilot Census Enumeration undertaken in December 2025; and
3. Completed nationwide cartographic mapping data, including enumeration areas by district and chiefdom, sections by chiefdom, and localities by section.
Despite these concerns, the APC reiterated its commitment to supporting the Government and Statistics Sierra Leone in conducting a credible, transparent and constitutionally compliant Population and Housing Census.
Copies of the letter were sent to several national and international stakeholders, including the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, UNFPA, World Bank, United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, UNDP, UNICEF, European Union, United States Embassy, British High Commission, African Development Bank, African Union Commission, ECOWAS, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The development adds a new dimension to ongoing discussions around the 2026 Population and Housing Census, as attention continues to focus on transparency, stakeholder participation and public confidence in one of Sierra Leone’s most important national statistical exercises.
