The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, held a productive meeting with the opposition leadership of Parliament on Wednesday, 25 March 2026.
The meeting aimed to engage the opposition and encourage their return to parliamentary sittings, which they had boycotted.
The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, explained that their absence from governance was in response to the appointment of Mr. Edmond Alpha as the new Chief Electoral Commissioner for Sierra Leone. He stated that the opposition believes Mr. Alpha should not be involved in the conduct or supervision of the 2028 elections.
After hearing the opposition’s concerns, the Rt. Hon. Speaker urged the delegation to set aside partisan differences and resume parliamentary activities. He emphasized that decisions by the executive should not justify a boycott of Parliament and encouraged the opposition to express their concerns through other channels, noting that Parliament is a separate branch of government and that its members were elected to serve the people of Sierra Leone.
The Speaker also highlighted several constitutional amendments awaiting parliamentary consideration and encouraged opposition participation in this historic process.
He thanked the opposition leaders for accepting his invitation and assured them that he would communicate the meeting’s outcome to H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, with the aim of fostering a holistic solution to the current governance stalemate.
The meeting represents a positive step toward strengthening parliamentary democracy and promoting bipartisan cooperation in Sierra Leone. It demonstrates the Rt. Hon. Speaker’s commitment to effective governance and efficient representation. The outcome is expected to pave the way for the opposition’s return to parliamentary proceedings, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative approach to addressing the nation’s governance challenges.