By: Alimamy Lahai Kamara
“We are on the road, perhaps on the Highway, driving at an appreciable speed, negotiating curves, and minding bumps. I am not astonished at the progress made so far, but I admire the commitment exhibited, the cooperation demonstrated, the partnerships forged, and the shared vision to implement the recommendations in the Tripartite Report and the Unity Agreement,” said the Coordinator of the Tripartite Secretariat, Ngolo Katta, while briefing the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay.
Katta provided an update to the Attorney General on the progress made by the Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat (TSCS) in implementing the Tripartite Report’s recommendations. The Independent Management and Functional Review on the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone (ECSL) has been completed and is scheduled for launch in April 2025. Other reviews are underway, including those for the Political Party Registration Commission (PPRC), the Independent Police Partnership Board (IPPB), and the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), which are expected to take three months to complete.
The Public Service Reform Unit (PSRU) is managing the reviews, organizing its staff into groups to handle the process. During an entrance meeting at SLBC on March 17, 2025, PSRU presented an elaborate overview of the review processes. They focused on addressing operational deficiencies, administrative weaknesses, and the unattractiveness of the work environment. Notably, the SLBC still relies on outdated equipment, such as transmitters whose manufacturers ceased operations years ago. This has resulted in poor TV and radio signals and limited reach due to unfixable issues in the equipment.
The two officials also discussed the Unity Agreement, particularly Resolution 4. The Attorney General shared that 10 cases being tried in Makeni, northern Sierra Leone, had been dropped in the spirit of the Agreement. Of the three accused persons tried in Freetown, one had been acquitted and discharged, while the other two were convicted and awaiting sentencing. The Attorney General’s Office is considering the best options to address these cases to comply with Resolution 4.
The Attorney General also noted that 17 provisions from the Tripartite recommendations align with the constitutional review whitepaper, though they are not entrenched clauses. A cabinet paper will be presented to Cabinet this week for approval of these reviews. Plans are underway to form a legal team, working with an international legal expert, to engage in technical discussions on proposed legislative changes. This team will also consult stakeholders nationwide and draft provisions for incorporation into legislation. International IDEA has agreed to support this process by providing an international legal expert.
Additionally, reviews of key legislation, including the IMC Act, Cybersecurity Act, SLBC Act, and Police Act, will be led by their respective ministries under the coordination of the TSCS. The Law Reform Commission may handle the conclusion of the Police Act review.
Regarding recommendation 78 of the Tripartite Report, the Attorney General proposed developing a concept note for a national dialogue on the electoral system to be used in the 2028 elections (proportional representation or first-past-the-post).
On March 28, 2025, Mr. Katta briefed a technical committee of development partners at the European Delegation offices in Hill Station, Leicester Peak. He reiterated that 10 cases in Makeni had been dropped in the spirit of the Unity Agreement. Two accused persons in Freetown had been convicted and are awaiting sentencing, while one was acquitted. The development partners—EU, Iceland Embassy, Ireland Embassy, International IDEA, US Embassy, DAI, and UNDP—expressed satisfaction with the progress made in implementing the Tripartite Report recommendations. They requested a copy of the cabinet paper for the reviews of PPRC and the Elections Acts and inquired about actions regarding the recommendation for a parliamentary oversight committee on elections.
Mr. Katta is planning a meeting with the leadership of Parliament to discuss Resolution 20 of the Tripartite Report, which advocates for the creation of a dedicated parliamentary oversight committee on electoral matters. This committee would review the electoral cycle, monitor electoral preparedness, and guide legislative reforms.
On March 11, 2025, Mr. Katta met with the Moral Guarantors of the Unity Agreement at his office on Wesley Street in Freetown. The delegation, led by Hawa Samai, Chairperson of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC), was briefed on progress related to Resolution 4 of the Unity Agreement. The international moral guarantors, including the African Union, Commonwealth, ECOWAS, and the EU, will be briefed accordingly.
On March 18, 2025, Joseph Munda Bindi, Chairman of NACCED, visited the Tripartite Secretariat to forge a partnership focused on joint civic education activities. Bindi emphasized that NACCED would align its efforts with the TSCS to ensure coherent messaging that resonates with the public regarding the Tripartite Report’s recommendations.
Looking ahead, the TSCS has scheduled meetings with the All Peoples Congress (APC), the All Political Party Association (APPA), the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), and various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to further engage in conversations about the implementation of the Tripartite Report recommendations and strengthen public education initiatives.