By Nafisatu Olayinka Deen
Freetown, 1st December 2025- The establishment of Sierra Leone’s Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) portrays a significant milestone in the country’s transitional justice journey, bridging the legacy of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with the ongoing pursuit of sustainable peace.
Established in 2020 through an Act of Parliament, the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion was a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendation for conflict prevention, management, and resolution.
The ICPNC has a mandate and “power to take measures to prevent, manage and resolve; to build, promote and maintain sustainable peace in Sierra Leone; and to provide for other related matters.” The Commission has so far played a part in making sure there is peace.
In September 2025, during the Peace celebration day, the Board Chairman of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, Reverend Shodanke Johnson, acknowledged the progress the commission has made in peace building, dispute settlement and peace promotion. “The commission has worked on different peace initiatives to sustain peace in Sierra Leone,” he said. He also mentioned that peace is everyone’s responsibility, given that Sierra Leone is a post-conflict society. “Peace is our responsibility and it is not a luxury reserved for the privileged but a necessity for every citizen, every community and every generation,” he said. He said that Sierra Leone is not defined by its wounds, given that it is a post-war country, but is defined by its business to heal.
Sierra Leone is ranked 57th out of 163 countries in the Global Peace Index 2025, which sheds light on an improvement from 66th position in 2024, reflecting the nation’s progress in peacebuilding and inclusive governance, through the efforts of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion.
In an interview with Truth Media, Alpha Bundu, from an ordinary citizen’s perspective, noted that the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion has made progress in maintaining peace through community engagements and public messages. “The Commission has played a role in reminding people about peace, especially during tense political periods. Their community engagements and public messages help calm things down during tensions. But on the ground, many people still feel divided politically, and sometimes the impact of the Commission isn’t strongly felt in day-to-day community interactions. So, the difference is there, but it could be stronger and more visible,” he noted.
He also mentioned that the commission needs to do more work on amplifying its presence and engagement. “I have followed some of their events on TV and social media. The dialogues often bring together chiefs, youth groups, women’s organizations, and political stakeholders. From what I’ve observed, the events are well-organized and the discussions meaningful. However, it sometimes feels like the same voices are always represented-mainly leaders rather than ordinary citizens who are most affected. The initiative is commendable, but it would benefit from broader public involvement,” he noted.
Paul Koroma, the Executive Director of the Patriotic Advocacy Network, says that the Peace Commission plays a vital role in Sierra Leone’s peacebuilding journey, but its effectiveness is undermined by limited visibility and inadequate staffing. “The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion plays an important role in peacebuilding, but one thing that stands out, however, is the fact that the peace commission needs more visibility because most young people don’t even know they exist. For me personally, I can tell you that they are hugely understaffed for the kind of work they ought to be doing,” he said.
Transitional justice is not only about addressing past atrocities but also about building institutions that prevent recurrence, foster reconciliation, and strengthen democratic resilience. By institutionalizing the TRC’s recommendation for a permanent peace body, the ICPNC embodies the principle that justice after conflict must extend beyond trials and reparations to include mechanisms for dialogue, mediation, and national cohesion. In this way, the Commission functions as a proactive agent of transformation, ensuring that Sierra Leone’s hard-won peace is preserved, contested grievances are addressed, and the promise of “never again” becomes a lived reality.
‘This story is brought to you with support from the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF) through the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG), under the project ‘Engaging Media and Communities to Change the Narrative on Transitional Justice Issues in Sierra Leone.’
