Freetown, 31 March 2026 — The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, has ruled to temporarily suspend the establishment of a parliamentary committee proposed to investigate the operations of National Elections Watch (NEW), a consortium of civil society organisations in Sierra Leone.
The decision follows a Private Member’s Motion presented by Hon. Mustapha M. Sellu, which sought a parliamentary inquiry into the financial management, funding sources, expenditure patterns, and accountability mechanisms of the organisation from January 2016 to the present.
The motion was brought under subsection 4 of section 93 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which empowers Parliament to appoint committees to investigate matters of public interest, and in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) governing motions for debate.
According to Hon. Sellu, the proposed inquiry was prompted by concerns raised in a letter from the National Consortium on Public Accountability, which called on Parliament to examine issues relating to transparency and the management of donor funds by the organisation.
He clarified that the motion was not related to electoral processes, but focused on fiduciary responsibility and accountability within civil society institutions.
Seconding the motion, Hon. Maada Lebby described the proposed investigation as timely and consistent with Parliament’s oversight mandate, noting that the inquiry was intended to promote transparency within the civil society sector.
However, opposition lawmaker Hon. Mohamed Bangura expressed reservations about the formation of the committee, arguing that the proposed inquiry could be perceived as election-related. He urged the Speaker to suspend the motion pending further consultation.
Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Nyuma, supported the motion, stating that the request for investigation originated from a consortium of civil society organisations seeking greater accountability.
He recalled previous allegations made against the Fifth Parliament by a civil society group, which he said were later dismissed after a parliamentary review.
Following deliberations, the motion received significant support in the House. Nevertheless, Speaker Thomas ruled that, given the sensitivity of the matter and potential public perception, the establishment of the committee would be put on hold until further notice.
The Speaker emphasised that Parliament remains committed to upholding the rights of Members of Parliament to introduce Private Member’s Motions, while ensuring that oversight processes are conducted in a manner that maintains public confidence in democratic institutions.
The announcement was made by the Parliamentary and Public Relations Department of the Parliament of Sierra Leone.
