FREETOWN, Monday 27th October 2026 – President Julius Maada Bio has once again declared that he will not contest the 2028 presidential election, saying his priority now is to leave behind strong institutions that serve all Sierra Leoneans fairly and safeguard the country’s peace.
The President made the declaration on Monday at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Bintumani, while addressing the National Unity and Social Cohesion Conference 2026.
“My task now is to leave behind institutions that serve every citizen fairly and protect the peace we enjoy today,” President Bio stated, drawing applause from the packed hall.
This is not the first time President Bio is making this commitment. Since 2024, he has repeatedly stated that he will respect the 1991 Constitution which limits a President to two five-year terms. His current and final term will end in June 2028, ten years after he was first elected in 2018. Monday’s declaration at Bintumani is his strongest and most public reassurance yet, made before former President Ernest Bai Koroma, opposition leaders, traditional leaders and international partners.
Open Doors and Responsible Politics
President Bio used the national platform to call on political leaders to move beyond disagreements over the past and speak responsibly about the country’s future.
He said Sierra Leone cannot build unity if leaders continue to weaponize the past for political gain, and urged all parties to focus their messaging on what unites the country.
He reaffirmed that his doors remain open to people across the political divide in the interest of a peaceful and united Sierra Leone.
“I am President for every Sierra Leonean, whether you voted for me or not. My door is open,” he said.
The statement comes as the country prepares for the 2028 general elections. Both the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) are expected to elect new flagbearers in 2027, as President Bio and former President Koroma are both ineligible to run.
Justice for War Victims
In a key part of his address, President Bio addressed the country’s outstanding post-war obligations, almost 24 years after the civil war ended in 2002.
He highlighted the need to support wounded war survivors, victims of sexual violence, former child soldiers, bereaved families and persons with disabilities who are still living with the wounds of the war.
He further directed the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and relevant institutions to review and strengthen the reparations programme recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The TRC report, submitted in 2004, recommended reparations including free healthcare, education support, skills training, pensions and symbolic reparations for the most vulnerable war victims. While a reparations programme was launched in 2008, thousands of registered victims say support has been inadequate and inconsistent.
“These citizens have waited too long for the country to fulfil its commitments. We must correct that,” President Bio stressed.
His call for stronger support for war victims and his renewed declaration not to contest in 2028 featured prominently in an address that set the tone for the two-day conference.
The conference, organised by the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) under the theme “From Commitment to Action,” is expected to close on Tuesday with the adoption of the Freetown Declaration on National Unity and Social Cohesion 2026.
