WATERLOO, 20 October 2026 – The Government of Sierra Leone has unveiled the official maps for three new councils to be created out of the current Western Area Rural District: Waterloo Rural Council, Mountain Rural Council, and York Rural Council.
The maps were displayed during the ongoing Civic Day engagement in Waterloo, organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, where residents were invited to view the new boundaries and engage officials directly.
According to the 2026 maps produced by Statistics Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs (MLG&CA), the proposed division will break the sprawling Western Rural District into three manageable local councils:
1. Waterloo Council: Headquartered in Waterloo, it will be the largest in population and will cover the inland commercial corridor. It includes 10 sections: Waterloo (District HQ), Waterloo Lumpa, Deep Eye Water/Devil Hole, Waterloo Benguema, Waterloo Campbell Town, Malambay, Madonkeh, Newton, Magbafti, Songo and Fabaina Area (Songo/Moyamba junction area).
2. Mountain Rural Council:* Covering the peninsular mountain communities from the Freetown border to Hastings, it includes Leicester, Gloucester, Regent, Bathurst, Charlotte, Jui-Grafton, Hastings-Yams Farm, and Rokel.
3. York Rural Council: Covering the coastal and riverine peninsula down to the Banana Islands, it includes Goderich-Funkia, Gbendembu, Goderich-Adonkia/Milton Margai, Hamilton, York, Sattia/Tombo, Kent, and the Banana Islands.
The maps show both council boundaries and section boundaries, with each council having its own District Headquarters.
Why three councils?
The Western Area Rural District is currently Sierra Leone’s most populous district, with over 660,000 people according to Stats SL Mid-Term Census 2021 projections, stretching from Devil Hole to Kent and Songo. Residents have long complained that one council in Waterloo cannot effectively serve such a vast area.
Government says the split is part of its decentralization and governance reform agenda, and in line with recommendations from the Tripartite Committee Report and the promise to bring governance closer to the people. Similar proposals have also been made to create new districts in other parts of the country – including splitting Moyamba, Bombali, Bo, and Western Urban.
Minister of Local Government Tamba Lamina has previously argued that smaller councils will improve revenue collection, sanitation, feeder road maintenance, and health and education delivery.
However, the process requires legal steps: Parliament must amend the Local Government Act, 2022, and the Provinces Act, while the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) will have to delimit new wards and constituencies ahead of the 2028 Local Council and General Elections.
What residents are asking
At the Waterloo Civic Day, residents raised questions about where the new council headquarters will be built, staffing, how the current Western Area Rural District Council (WARDC) assets and debts will be shared, and whether the new councils will get equal funding.
Government officials assured that public consultations will continue before any Statutory Instrument is laid in Parliament.
If approved, the three councils will join Freetown City Council as the four local councils in the Western Area.
