Pressure Mounts on President Bio Over Constitutional Amendment Bill

Pressure is mounting on President Julius Maada Bio to withhold assent to the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025, following growing concerns over the parliamentary process used to pass the legislation.

Parliament declared the Bill passed on 10 August 2026, but questions have since emerged over whether the required two-thirds majority under Section 108 of the 1991 Constitution was achieved.

While several proposed reforms including provisions on women’s political participation, dual citizenship and electoral reforms have received support as part of efforts to strengthen democratic and electoral institutions, opponents argue that the procedure used to approve the Bill must also comply strictly with constitutional requirements.

The All People’s Congress has rejected the parliamentary process and maintained that the required constitutional threshold was not met, indicating that it will pursue legal avenues. Other stakeholders have also called for the Supreme Court to clarify the constitutional requirements before the process proceeds.

The Sierra Leone Labour Congress has joined calls for President Bio to withhold assent, citing concerns over the process and urging further consideration of the legislation.

Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas has previously maintained that anyone seeking clarification or challenging his interpretation should seek redress through the Supreme Court.

President Bio had earlier urged Parliament to support the constitutional reform process, presenting the proposed amendments as measures aimed at strengthening governance and democratic institutions.

The President must now decide whether to assent to the Bill, return it for further consideration, or await constitutional clarification.

The controversy has placed renewed attention on Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities, the interpretation of Section 108 and the role of the courts in resolving disputes concerning Sierra Leone’s supreme law.