Freetown, 21st April 2026- The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has expressed gratitude to the International Moral Guarantors, ECOWAS, UNOWAS and the Commonwealth, for their continued role in safeguarding peace and democratic consolidation in Sierra Leone.
The party singled out Her Excellency Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia, for her leadership in steering the process since its inception.
In a statement issued by National Secretary General Paran Umar Tarawally, the SLPP reaffirmed President Julius Maada Bio’s “clear and sustained commitment” to implementing the Agreement for National Unity and the Tripartite Committee’s recommendations. The party said this commitment was underscored during the Guarantors’ courtesy call on the President earlier this week.
But while welcoming the Guarantors’ eight-point communiqué of April 20, the SLPP pushed back strongly against proposals that could compromise the independence of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL). Citing Section 32(11) of the Constitution, the party argued that Parliament cannot exercise oversight over the Commission’s professional operations, just as it cannot over the Judiciary or Anti-Corruption Commission.
The SLPP also endorsed the expansion of the Tripartite Steering Committee to include other political parties and civil society, describing it as “genuine inclusion.” On electoral reforms, the party reiterated its support for proportional representation and commended the Guarantors for respecting parliamentary procedure in relation to the Constitution Amendment Bill 2025.
On the opposition’s recent return to Parliament, the SLPP welcomed the end of the All People’s Congress (APC) boycott but urged its leadership to adopt “more responsible and mature approaches” to governance. Persistent boycotts, the party warned, undermine Section 35(1) of the Constitution, which mandates political parties to shape the political will of the people.
The statement further emphasized zero tolerance for hate speech and profane language, while commending stakeholders for resolving operational issues within the Tripartite Steering Committee. However, the SLPP criticized the APC’s April 19 press release, describing its tone as “unhelpful and unnecessary,” warning that such posturing erodes trust and weakens collective goodwill.
“The SLPP remains fully committed to working with all political parties, including the APC, to advance electoral reforms, strengthen state institutions and deepen our democracy,” Tarawally concluded.
