On Wednesday, 15 April 2026, the International Moral Guarantors, comprising representatives from ECOWAS and the United Nations, met with Members of Parliament from both the ruling and opposition benches.
The engagement formed part of ongoing mediation efforts aimed at promoting adherence to the Tripartite Recommendations and encouraging opposition Members of Parliament to end their boycott of parliamentary sittings. The delegation commended the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, for his continued mediation efforts and his engagement with opposition MPs aimed at resolving the impasse and restoring full parliamentary participation.
The head of the delegation, Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia and leader of the International Moral Guarantors, explained that the visit was a follow-up to earlier engagements with the Parliament of Sierra Leone. She said the mission was focused on assessing progress in implementing the National Unity Agreement and strengthening Parliament’s oversight role in the National Peace Agreement. She further noted that the delegation also sought to identify any barriers affecting the implementation of the agreement.
The Rt. Hon. Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, welcomed the delegation to Parliament and to the Republic of Sierra Leone. He acknowledged the National Peace Agreement between the Government and the Opposition and expressed his support for its objectives. However, he stated that the agreement had not yet been formally laid before Parliament, which limits the House’s ability to deliberate on it. He emphasized that he expected the agreement to be formally tabled for consideration. He also noted that the agreement does not contain any clause directing Members of Parliament to oppose or boycott Parliament.
On the opposition’s boycott, the Speaker informed the delegation that he had held two meetings with opposition MPs to encourage their return to Parliament. He stressed that Parliament is a separate arm of government from the Executive and should not be drawn into disputes between the Executive and the All People’s Congress (APC) Party. He encouraged opposition MPs to use Parliament as a platform to express their views and hold the Executive accountable. While acknowledging that MPs belong to political parties, he emphasized that their primary responsibility is to represent their constituents.
In his remarks, the Opposition Leader, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, commended the Speaker for his efforts to find a lasting solution to the boycott. He confirmed that the meetings with the Speaker had been productive. He stated that the opposition’s main concern relates to the Constitutional Amendment Bill to the 1991 Constitution, noting that several agreed positions from the tripartite process were altered in the version currently before Parliament. He called on the Government to adhere to the Tripartite Recommendations and assured the delegation that the opposition had participated in the pre-legislative hearings and the first reading of the Constitutional Amendment Bill. He welcomed the inclusion of a fixed election date in the Bill and stated that the opposition is not opposed to constitutional reforms in principle.
The Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Nyuma, stated that the Government has acted in the spirit of unity, citing the establishment of the Peace Commission for National Cohesion. He reminded the delegation that Parliament is the supreme law-making body and that bills before it, including the Constitutional Amendment Bill, are proposals that may be amended by the House. He added that elections should strengthen democracy rather than divide the nation. He further stated that MPs themselves are not in conflict, but that political party interference affects parliamentary operations. He welcomed the presence of the Moral Guarantors and reiterated that Parliament has not acted to undermine the Tripartite Agreement. He joined the Speaker in urging opposition MPs to return to parliamentary duties.
In her closing remarks, Madam Jallow-Tambajang commended the Speaker for his engagement with the opposition and urged opposition MPs to recognize that effective representation requires compromise. She stated that boycotting Parliament would undermine their ability to achieve their objectives and advised that remaining in Parliament would better enable them to hold the Executive accountable. She noted that the National Peace Agreement had not yet been tabled in Parliament and indicated that the delegation would follow up to ensure the necessary steps are taken.
The delegation also raised concerns regarding preparations for the electoral process ahead of the 2028 elections. In response, the Speaker stated that progress was ongoing, with both the Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Security Bill currently before Parliament. He explained that the opposition boycott had slowed progress, as he preferred inclusive debate on such important legislation. He further noted that he had informed the President about his engagements with the opposition and that the President supports continued dialogue in the interest of peace and national cohesion.
The formation of a committee on electoral management bodies was also raised by Hon. Abdul Kargbo following the laying of the Agreement on National Unity and the Tripartite Agreement. He further reiterated calls for the Tripartite Agreement and its recommendations to be formally tabled in Parliament to give them full legal effect. He stressed that strict adherence to the agreement is necessary to restore public confidence in the electoral process.