Freetown, Sierra Leone – Former All Peoples Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara, has warmly congratulated Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his election as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
President Faye took over the rotational leadership from Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in Freetown on Sunday, 19th July 2026.
In a detailed statement shared on social media, Dr. Kamara described the leadership change as a proud moment for the sub-region, especially since it occurred on Sierra Leonean soil.
“Congratulations to H.E. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye… on his election as Chairman of ECOWAS,” the former 2018 and 2023 APC flagbearer wrote. He praised the Senegalese leader as representing “a rising generation of West African statesmanship rooted in accountability, reform, and respect for the will of the people.”
Kamara emphasised the symbolic importance of the handover in Freetown, noting that ECOWAS leadership is based on renewal rather than permanent control.
He reminded citizens that the regional body was founded as “a covenant among peoples” to defend democracy, the rule of law, and constitutional order.
The APC stalwart used the occasion to call for genuine democratic progress in Sierra Leone and across the region.
He urged full implementation of the recommendations from the Agreement for National Unity and the Tripartite Committee, restoration of confidence in the electoral process, and equal application of the rule of law.
“The people of Sierra Leone are watching this momentous change in the ECOWAS leadership with hope,” he stated. “They ask only for what every citizen of our Community is entitled to: a democracy that is real rather than performed.”
Dr. Kamara appealed to the new ECOWAS Chairman, the African Union, European Union, United Kingdom, United States, and other international partners to remain firm in supporting democratic standards and reforms in member states.
“Pressure toward genuine reform is not interference. It is fidelity to the very values we have all pledged to uphold,” he added.
He also extended congratulations to the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop.
The leadership transition took place at the Freetown summit, where regional leaders discussed security, economic integration, and political stability. President Bio completed his one-year term as ECOWAS Chairman and formally handed over the mantle to President Faye, one of West Africa’s youngest leaders.
Dr. Samura Kamara, a key opposition figure, has consistently advocated for democratic reforms and national unity in Sierra Leone. His message comes as political stakeholders continue to debate issues of electoral justice and implementation of previous agreements.
