By Abdulai Fofanah
Freetown, 28th April 2026 – Following the conclusion on 20th April 2026 of the Third Joint Assessment Mission of the International Moral Guarantors on the implementation of the Agreement for National Unity and the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee’s Report, the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion has taken note of reports circulating on social media and in public discourse regarding statements allegedly made by senior political figures in recent days.
At the time the release was out, the Commission stated that they could not verify the accuracy of every statement attributed to any individual. They wish to state clearly and without equivocation that any language, whether spoken in jest, in political rhetoric, or in the heat of campaign activity, that could reasonably be interpreted as inciting violence, threatening death, or dehumanising citizens based on their political affiliation is wholly unacceptable, noting that such language has no place in democratic culture and stands in direct conflict with the spirit and the letter of the Agreement for National Unity.
Sierra Leone’s peace has been hard-won. Every citizen, regardless of political loyalty, holds an inalienable right to safety, to dignity, and to the free exercise of their vote.
The Commission affirmed that political plurality is not a threat to any government, noting that it is the very foundation of a functioning democracy. “No citizen should ever be made to feel that their life, their livelihood, or the safety of their family is imperilled because of how they choose to vote or which party they choose to support, as stated in the release, dated 26th April, 2026.
The Commission noted with particular concern that such rhetoric has emerged even as the International Moral Guarantors, at the close of their mission only days ago, urged all political leaders, party executives, supporters, and citizens to exercise restraint and to reject hate speech, inciting statements, and the propagation of disinformation. The Commission endorsed that call without reservation and regarded any departure from it as a matter of direct relevance to their mandate.
Accordingly, the Commission called on all political leaders and public officials, at every level, to exercise the utmost restraint in their public communications and to conduct themselves with the dignity befitting their office; the ruling party [SLPP] and all opposition parties to issue clear and unambiguous guidance to their members, supporters, and campaign teams that threats, intimidation, and exclusionary language will not be condoned, and to apply internal disciplinary measures where such conduct occurs; law enforcement authorities to monitor the situation closely and to act promptly and impartially where credible threats to public safety are made, without regard to the political standing of those involved; the media to report responsibly, to verify statements before amplifying them, and to decline to become instruments of political provocation; all Sierra Leoneans including religious bodies to reject divisive rhetoric, to protect their neighbours regardless of affiliation, and to uphold the peace that defines their national character.
Beyond the immediate concerns addressed above, the Commission wished to emphasize that the central focus of all stakeholders must now turn, decisively and without further delay, to the full and faithful implementation of the eight-point agreement reached between the Government of Sierra Leone and the All People’s Congress during the facilitated dialogue convened under the auspices of the Joint Assessment Mission.
The Commission considered the delivery of these commitments to be the single most important measure by which the good faith of all parties will now be judged, and it will actively support, monitor, and, where necessary, convene the stakeholders to ensure that momentum is neither lost nor diluted. The Commission noted that “Inflammatory rhetoric is not merely a threat to public safety; it is a direct threat to the implementation agenda the nation has committed to, and it must not be permitted to derail the work ahead.”
The Commission said it actively engaged on this matter and would continue to monitor developments across the country. “We stand ready to facilitate dialogue between parties and communities wherever tensions are rising, and to convene the relevant actors where circumstances so warrant,” they noted.
The ICPNC reminded all parties that their mandate, conferred by law and reaffirmed within the framework of the Agreement for National Unity, is the preservation of peace and social cohesion for all Sierra Leoneans.
“We will discharge that mandate without fear or favour. Neither political rhetoric, partisan allegiance, nor the proximity of any electoral cycle will deter this Commission from speaking plainly when the peace of the nation is placed at risk. Peace is not the property of any party. It belongs to every Sierra Leonean, and this Commission will defend it on behalf of them all,” they stated.
