Freetown, Sierra Leone – May 29, 2025 – The main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) Party has sharply condemned the government’s recent announcement on the creation of two new districts—Bandajuma and Kpangoma—and the designation of Lungi as a city.
The announcement, made by the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Tamba Lamin, during the Civic Day Series in Moyamba, has sparked outrage within the APC, which described the move as “reckless, undemocratic, and illegal.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, APC National Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya said the party was “gravely alarmed” by what it called a politically motivated decision that lacked proper national consultation and a legal foundation.
“This misguided declaration, made without any proper national consultation, statutory basis, or reliable census data, is nothing short of a dangerous provocation and an attempt to manipulate the country’s governance structure for partisan gain,” Dumbuya stated.
The APC further questioned the legitimacy of the move, arguing that no credible census has been conducted to justify any administrative restructuring. “The current census process, shamefully, has not even begun in earnest,” Dumbuya said. “There has been no publication of a final project document. There are no preliminary results. There is no validated data.”
The party also criticized its exclusion from the Census Technical Committee, claiming that the process has been deliberately skewed in favor of the ruling party. “The APC—the largest opposition party—has been deliberately excluded from the Census Technical Committee,” Dumbuya noted. “Yet, the Minister now arrogantly announces that Cabinet has already approved new districts and cities?”
The APC accused the government of using the census as a tool to “rig outcomes” and “restructure national boundaries to suit its narrow political interests.” It vowed to resist any attempts to implement administrative reforms without the backing of a credible census.
“Let it be known, and let it be remembered: the APC Party will fight resolutely, lawfully, and without retreat against any tampering with our governance structures, any manipulation of the electoral framework, and any actions that jeopardize the future and stability of Sierra Leone,” Dumbuya declared.
The party has called for an immediate retraction of the minister’s statement and demanded clarification from the Cabinet. It also urged development partners—including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the US Embassy, the British High Commission, the European Union, ECOWAS, and the African Union—to take note of what it described as “blatant interference” in the census process.
To the public, the APC issued a rallying call: “We are calling on all Sierra Leoneans to get ready. The time has come to stand up… Let the world witness our resolve.”
The government has not yet responded to the APC’s statement.
