By: Thaimu Bia Sesay
In a historic turn of events in the political landscape of Sierra Leone, Honourable Sengepoh Solomon Thomas has been elected as the Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic. Thomas, the outgoing Deputy Speaker, secured a resounding victory with 128 votes under a Two-Third Simple Majority electioneering process.
The election came in the wake of the resignation of Rtd. Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu due to health reasons. Bundu, the former Speaker of the sixth Parliament, tendered his resignation, sparking a succession process within the legislative body.
In his maiden speech following his election, Speaker Sengepoh Solomon Thomas expressed profound gratitude to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone People’s Party, and parliamentarians from both the SLPP and APC for their trust and support.
Following parliamentary procedures, Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh was also elected as Deputy Speaker for the same Parliament under a Simple Majority electioneering process, securing 94 winning votes.
However, the succession process was not devoid of challenges. The resignation letter of Dr. Abass Bundu, addressed to the President instead of the Parliament, sparked a legal dispute between parliamentary leaders. Despite initial disagreements, an agreement was reached to proceed with the election process.
During the election, debates ensued over the inclusion of absent members due to official duties abroad. After deliberation, it was agreed to count their absence as legally recognized.
The election itself saw multiple rounds of voting. In the first round, Speaker candidate Sengepoh Thomas fell short of the required votes, leading to subsequent rounds of voting. Despite peaceful collaboration between government and opposition MPs, the required threshold for election was not met in the third round.
In a significant display of democratic principles, Opposition candidate Hon. Daniel H. Koroma withdrew his candidacy, emphasizing the importance of considering Two-Thirds of Members of Parliament in all proceedings. This withdrawal paved the way for a Two-Third Simple Majority electioneering process, resulting in Sengepoh Solomon Thomas’s successful election as Speaker, later deputized by Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh.
The election of Speaker Thomas marks a new chapter in Sierra Leonean politics, characterized by democratic dialogue and collaborative decision-making within the legislative body.