In his address to Parliament on 7 August 2025, President Julius Maada Bio issued a call for renewed national dialogue on adopting proportional representation (PR) not only in parliamentary elections but across the executive and public sector. Emphasising unity, equity, and inclusion, the President rightly noted that our nation’s strength lies in shared responsibility and collective leadership.
This vision is laudable. Yet, it must be weighed against the backdrop of past failures and the urgent need for substantive reforms. For too long, Sierra Leone’s political landscape, dominated by the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress (APC), has suffocated genuine pluralism. If we are serious about creating an inclusive democracy, we must learn from past mistakes and embrace bold, credible mechanisms for power-sharing.
The introduction of PR in the 2023 elections was met with widespread criticism, largely because of the exorbitant 12.5% threshold. This barrier all but extinguished smaller parties and independent voices, consolidating power between the SLPP and APC rather than broadening it. Instead of promoting shared responsibility, it entrenched a duopoly that marginalised regional, ethnic, and ideological diversity.
Smaller parties that could have amplified the voices of underserved communities and deepened collective leadership were sidelined. Parliament, as a result, failed to mirror the rich tapestry of our nation. If government is serious about reviving PR, the threshold must be lowered significantly to allow for genuine multi-party representation. Without such reform, any dialogue risks being dismissed as cosmetic, a mere repackaging of the status quo.
What is currently on offer resembles power-sharing more than inclusivity. Sierra Leone has been here before and it did not end well. The experience of ministers from the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) who entered the APC government is instructive. Rather than fostering pluralism, they were swiftly co-opted, their opposition credentials diluted, and one-party dominance reinforced. Such outcomes breed cynicism, erode trust, and deepen division.
To avoid repeating these mistakes, Sierra Leone must consider structural safeguards. A National Character Law modelled on Nigeria’s Federal Character Principle under Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution could provide such a framework. The law mandates equitable distribution of public positions and resources across ethnic, regional, and religious lines, overseen by an independent commission. A similar mechanism in Sierra Leone could ensure fair representation in cabinet appointments, civil service posts, and resource allocation, guaranteeing that all regions, from north to south, share in governance, regardless of electoral outcomes.
Another pathway to inclusivity lies in meaningful decentralisation. Although the legal framework exists, successive governments have failed to devolve sufficient powers and resources to local councils. Without such empowerment, local authorities, often controlled by opposition parties, cannot be effective. Proper decentralisation would chip away at the winner-takes-all mentality entrenched at the national level and cultivate a spirit of grassroots collaboration.
Further reforms deserve serious consideration. A mixed-member proportional system, combining constituency-based seats with party-list PR, could marry local representation with national diversity. Quotas for women, youth, and marginalised groups in executive appointments would help dismantle entrenched inequalities. Establishing an independent electoral reform commission, insulated from political interference, could ensure reforms are not only enacted but respected. Similarly, constitutional provisions mandating cross-party consultation on critical policies would institutionalise collaboration and reduce adversarial politics.
These proposals reflect the aspirations of ordinary Sierra Leoneans. The Afrobarometer survey of March–April 2025 revealed overwhelming support for cross-party cooperation over divisive politics. A striking 78% of respondents agreed that political parties should accommodate individuals from different regions and ethnic groups. This finding underscores a clear public appetite for unity and inclusivity. This appetite is starkly at odds with the polarised politics that dominate our governance.
Sierra Leoneans are weary of rhetoric that says one thing but achieves the opposite. Citizens are not fooled by half-measures dressed up as reform. What is required now is courage. The courage to move beyond symbolic gestures and embrace genuine inclusivity in law, policy, and practice.
Only then will Sierra Leone begin to build the democracy its people demand and deserve.