Freetown, Sierra Leone – July 28, 2026
Opposition Leader, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, has reaffirmed the All People’s Congress (APC) firm opposition to several key provisions of the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill, insisting that the party remains committed to protecting democratic principles and ensuring that constitutional reforms reflect the will of the people.
Contributing to the debate in Parliament on Tuesday, Hon. Kargbo argued that a number of provisions contained in the Bill depart from earlier agreements and recommendations made during national consultations and the Tripartite process.
He questioned why the Bill proposes a simple majority for the election of the President, instead of the previously discussed 50 percent plus one threshold, and why the requirement for obtaining 25 percent of the votes in at least half of the districts had been replaced with 20 percent in two-thirds of the districts.
“If both parties agreed to these recommendations, why are they not reflected in the Bill before Parliament?” he asked, adding that it was unfair to accuse the APC of being insincere when the proposed legislation itself differs from earlier understandings.
Hon. Kargbo also reminded Parliament that recommendations made during consultations do not automatically become law, unless they receive Cabinet approval before being incorporated into legislation.
The Opposition Leader strongly defended Sierra Leone’s First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral system, arguing that it promotes direct accountability between Members of Parliament and the people they represent.
According to him, constituency-based representation allows citizens to easily access their elected representatives and hold them accountable for their performance.
He maintained that Proportional Representation (PR) weakens that relationship by placing greater authority in the hands of political party executives rather than voters.
Hon. Kargbo noted that under the FPTP system, independent candidates and smaller political parties have historically been able to win parliamentary seats whenever they enjoyed genuine public support.
“In the previous Parliament, independent candidates and several political parties were represented. Under the current PR system, that opportunity has virtually disappeared,” he said.
Responding to claims that countries with proportional representation perform better on the Human Development Index (HDI), Hon. Kargbo argued that the electoral system itself is not responsible for higher development rankings.
He explained that countries achieve better HDI scores because of factors such as effective healthcare, quality education, strong democratic institutions, independent electoral bodies, respect for the rule of law, and high levels of public trust—not simply because they use proportional representation.
He pointed out that several countries operating PR systems also rank among the lowest on the Human Development Index, demonstrating that electoral systems alone do not determine national development.
Rejecting suggestions that the APC is opposed to women’s representation, Hon. Kargbo stressed that the party has already entrenched a 30 percent quota for women in its own constitution.
He further stated that the APC fully supported the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment legislation and emphasized that increasing women’s representation is achievable under both the First-Past-the-Post and Proportional Representation systems.
“The issue is not the electoral system. Political parties can nominate at least 30 percent women under either system,” he said.
The Opposition Leader referenced submissions made by the Council of Paramount Chiefs, which, according to him, concluded that the First-Past-the-Post system offers stronger local accountability and provides greater opportunities for independent candidates.
He also cited consultations involving civil society organizations and local councils, saying many participants expressed support for retaining the constituency-based electoral system.
Hon. Kargbo argued that Parliament should carefully consider those recommendations rather than relying solely on earlier consultation reports.
Another issue raised by the Opposition Leader was a proposed constitutional provision restricting the use of any national census conducted less than two years before a general election.
He argued that such a clause could create incentives for governments to delay constitutionally required population censuses for political reasons.
According to him, Sierra Leone’s Constitution envisages periodic national censuses, and Parliament should avoid passing provisions that could undermine that constitutional obligation.
Hon. Kargbo concluded by emphasizing that the APC is not opposed to constitutional reform, but insists that every amendment must follow due process, reflect broad national consensus, and strengthen democratic governance.
He urged Parliament to allow transparent voting on every clause and assured the House that the APC parliamentary group would continue to participate constructively throughout the legislative process.
“We are prepared to support provisions that strengthen our democracy, and oppose those we believe undermine the will of the people,” he said.
The Opposition Leader also commended the Speaker of Parliament for presiding over the proceedings in accordance with parliamentary rules, and expressed confidence that the constitutional amendment process would continue to uphold fairness, transparency, and democratic principles