"It Might Be You Tomorrow”: Speaker Thomas Backs Strong Presidency

Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, has argued that constitutional reforms should not weaken the powers of the presidency based on current political circumstances, stressing that the Office of the President must remain a strong institution in Sierra Leone’s governance system.

He made the statement during Parliament’s sitting on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, as lawmakers continued debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill.

Speaker Thomas cautioned lawmakers against making constitutional decisions based on perceptions about the individual or political party currently in power, noting that political leadership changes over time and any party could govern the country in the future.

“The Office of the President should be a very powerful office in the Republic; let’s not make this law because we have this perception that somebody else is in power,” he said.

He added, “It might be you tomorrow,” while noting that the APC could return to power and other political parties could also assume leadership of the country.

The Speaker maintained that the presidency requires sufficient authority because the President is responsible for making critical national decisions.

“I will not sit here as Speaker and allow the position of the President to be watered down,” he stated.

He stressed that constitutional reforms should not be designed to favour any political party but should instead protect the institution of the presidency for current and future leaders.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill continues to generate debate among lawmakers, with discussions centred on proposed changes and their implications for governance, political institutions, and the balance of power in Sierra Leone.