WARDC Chairman Backs Council Restructuring, Pushes for Waterloo to Attain City Status
The Chairman of the Western Area Rural District Council, Kasho Holland-Cole, has called for Waterloo to be granted city status amid ongoing discussions surrounding the government’s redistricting process.
He made the call during the Waterloo Civic Day Series held on 20 October 2026, where he also expressed support for dividing the Western Area Rural District into separate administrative councils to improve local governance and service delivery.
Holland-Cole said he had previously presented the proposal during a meeting with President Julius Maada Bio and then Chief Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa, arguing that administrative changes would bring governance closer to residents.
Citing figures from the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census, he said Waterloo had a population of 314,382, compared with 223,875 in Bo and 112,000 in Makeni. He argued that Waterloo’s population and development potential justified its bid for city status.
The council chairman also called for increased ministerial representation for Waterloo, saying greater representation in government would help address the town’s development priorities.
While welcoming the government’s redistricting exercise, Holland-Cole raised concerns about the boundaries outlined in the proposed maps for the Western Area Rural District. He urged the government to consult relevant stakeholders and affected communities before finalising the process.
The Government of Sierra Leone has unveiled maps outlining three newly created councils in the Western Area Rural District: Waterloo Rural Council, York Rural Council and Mountain Rural Council.
According to the government, the restructuring is intended to improve service delivery and strengthen local administrative processes.
Holland-Cole maintained that granting Waterloo city status would strengthen local representation and provide an opportunity to address the needs of its growing population.
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