By: Saidu Jalloh
The Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat (TSCS), in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, officially launched a nationwide technical consultation on June 24, 2025, to engage stakeholders across Sierra Leone on the future of the country’s electoral system. The announcement was made at a press conference in Freetown by the Head of the TSCS, Mr. Ngolo Katta.
This initiative follows Recommendation 78 of the Tripartite Report, which calls for a national dialogue on whether Sierra Leone should continue with the District Proportional Representation (DPR) system or revert to the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system for Parliamentary and Local Council elections.
Supported by the European Union through the Sierra Leone Democracy Strengthening Programme and facilitated by International IDEA, the consultations are targeting a broad range of stakeholders. These include political parties, electoral bodies, civil society groups, women and youth organizations, academia, the media, as well as religious and traditional leaders.
“These consultations are essential in determining the system that best reflects the will of the people in line with our socio-political history,” said Mr. Katta. “We want a participatory process that will define Sierra Leone’s electoral future ahead of the 2028 elections.”
Sierra Leone has alternated between the FPTP and Proportional Representation (PR) systems since 1996. The PR system was most recently used in the 2023 elections. The ongoing consultations aim to foster an inclusive national conversation that will inform the final decision on the country’s electoral framework.
The technical consultations with professionals were held from June 17 to 21 at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown. These sessions involved in-depth discussions informed by participants’ academic and professional expertise in electoral governance.
The next phase—regional consultations will take place from June 23 to 25 in Port Loko, Makeni, Kenema, and Bo, with additional sessions in the Western Area on June 28. The process will culminate in a National Dialogue on July 4, 2025, at the Bintumani Conference Center, where the general public will have the opportunity to contribute in a mass participatory forum.
“These dialogues will help shape a voting system that promotes inclusivity, peace, unity, and transparency,” Mr. Katta emphasized, highlighting the importance of both grassroots and elite engagement in democratic reform.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Alpha Sesay, described the consultations as a pivotal moment in Sierra Leone’s democratic journey.
“Sierra Leone is making a final leap in her history,” he stated. “We are at the culmination of over two decades of constitutional reform. This consultative process enhances transparency and accountability and lays the foundation for long-term governance improvements.”
Dr. Idrissa Mamoud Tarawalie, Head of the Sierra Leone Programme for International IDEA, underscored the value of citizen participation in shaping electoral systems, describing the process as central to IDEA’s mission.
Following the National Dialogue, a comprehensive report with recommendations will be submitted to the Tripartite Steering Committee and subsequently presented to the Chief Minister, who chairs the committee. The Chief Minister will forward the report to the Cabinet for endorsement, after which the Attorney General will lead the legislative process to enact the new electoral system into law.