FREETOWN, 22 October 2026 – The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs has ordered the suspension of the forthcoming Town Chief Declaration of Rights exercise in Koquima Town, Tankoro Chiefdom, Kono District.
The directive is contained in an official letter dated 22nd October 2026, with reference number MLG/07/09, signed by Sarah Kosseh on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
The letter, addressed to the Senior District Officer (SDO) in Kono through the Provincial Secretary for the Eastern Province, formally requests that the SDO put the exercise on hold.
“I am directed to refer to the above subject and to formally request you to put on hold the upcoming Town Chief declaration of rights in Koquima Town, Tankoro Chiefdom, Kono District,” the letter reads.
According to the Ministry, the suspension is necessitated by a series of unresolved emerging issues relating to the Declaration of Rights process.
“You are therefore requested to officially put the activity on hold until all emerging issues are resolved,” it added.
The letter was copied to the Honourable Minister, Ambassador Tamba Lamina, the Deputy Minister, the Director of Local Government, and the Provincial Secretary for the Eastern Province.
What the Exercise Means:
The Declaration of Rights is a key statutory step in Sierra Leone’s local governance system under the Chieftaincy Act of 2009. It is the process where individuals who claim the right to contest for a chieftaincy position publicly declare their lineage and eligibility before a designated committee. Only those cleared during this exercise are eligible to contest in the subsequent Town Chief or Paramount Chief election.
Town Chiefs are critical grassroots leaders who assist Paramount Chiefs in local administration, tax collection, dispute resolution, and maintaining order at the village and town level.
While the Ministry’s letter cites unresolved issues as justification for the stay-action, it does not specify the nature of the disputes – which in such processes often relate to eligibility, lineage claims, or procedural disagreements.
No new date has been announced for the exercise. The Ministry said the process will remain on hold until all emerging concerns are fully resolved.
