Zacharia Jalloh, Ministry of Information and Civic Education
Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay Esq., has said a proposed provision in the new Constitution states that the President and Vice President cannot be automatically removed from office solely for losing their partymembership.
He said instead, any removal must strictly follow the procedures outlined in Section 51 of the 1991 Constitution, adding that another proposed provision is the adoption of the Proportional Representation (PR) system, which the government accepted from the Justice Cowan Committee’s recommendations.
The attorney general noted that the PR system is cost-effective, revealing that between 2023 and 2025, the government saved approximately NLe20 million by avoiding bye-elections, with the funds redirected to sectors such as education, health, and agriculture.
He provided a historical background to justify the need for a new constitution, stating that the 1999 Lomé Peace Accord agreed upon by the Government of Sierra Leone, the RUF, and international partners recommended a review of the 1991 Constitution to prevent retrogression. He also referenced the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report, which similarly recommended a constitutional review. These two significant national documents, he noted, form the foundation of the nation’s pursuit of a new constitution that reflects the will of the people.
He informed the public that, in response to these recommendations, the government of the late President Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah established the Peter Tucker Constitutional Review Committee to review the 1991 Constitution. This process continued under former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, who constituted the Justice Cowan Constitutional Review Committee. He clarified that under the leadership of President Bio, the government is implementing the recommendations of the Justice Cowan Committee, with a few Modifications.
The attorney general provided statistics on the work of the Justice Cowan Committee, revealing that over 10,000 consultations were conducted nationwide; more than 150 position papers were received from various sectors of society; over 80 expert engagements were held on key constitutional issues; more than 180 direct engagements took place with diverse groups to address critical concerns; over 70,000 forms were distributed across the country; more than 20,000 hours of radio and television engagements were conducted; and the committee’s website recorded 40,960 visitors. The committee submitted its report in 2017 to former President Koroma, and the first government White Paper was issued in June 2017.
He further explained that modifications to the 2017 Government White Paper were made to accommodate justiciable rights, including women’s rights, healthcare, and education, to be embedded in the new Constitution. In addition, recommendations from the Tripartite Committee were incorporated into the constitutional review process to better reflect the will of the people.
The attorney general also informed the public that both the Tripartite Committee and the Constitutional Review Committee proposed reducing the presidential election threshold from 55% to 50% plus one. An additional amendment requires a candidate to secure at least 20% of votes in two-thirds of the voting districts to ensure national appeal. Another progressive proposal allows independent candidates to contest the presidency, provided they are not members of any political party and can demonstrate strong national and community appeal.
