By Ishmael Zay-Bangura
Freetown, 20th August, 2026 – The Commissioner of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), Brima Sheriff, has urged the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) to implement Recommendation 50 of the Tripartite Committee on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review in support of disability inclusion.
Speaking at the Ministry of Social Welfare’s Conference Hall, during a visit on 19th August, Sheriff stated that Recommendation 50 proposes the progressive implementation of the principle that up to 5% of persons in elective and appointive public offices should be persons with disabilities, noting that it begins with at least 2%, and recommends that political parties include at least 2% persons with disabilities on their national nomination lists for elective positions.
The NCPD considered Recommendation 50 an important national commitment to addressing the
historic under-representation of persons with disabilities in political decision-making. Sheriff welcomed the engagement as a vital opportunity to strengthen cooperation.
Minister of Social Welfare Melrose Karminty reinforced the urgency of the moment, stating that this marks a pivotal opportunity to craft joint policy frameworks with political parties, specifically by agreeing to register persons with disabilities to ensure their full participation.
PPRC Chairman Emmanuel Koivaya Amara Esq. acknowledged the Commission’s regulatory mandate over political parties. He revealed that while the PPRC is yet to establish a dedicated wing for disability affairs, the visit signalled a renewed commitment to addressing this gap and mainstreaming disability rights across the political landscape.
The NCPD, in its position paper, therefore encouraged the PPRC to engage with registered political parties to remove barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities within their structures.
