Waterloo, Tokeh Residents Weigh In on Redistricting and 2026 Census
Residents of Waterloo and Tokeh have participated in community consultations organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education to discuss the proposed redistricting exercise and the 2026 National Population and Housing Census.
The consultations were held on October 20 in Waterloo and October 27 at the Tokeh Community Centre, bringing together government officials, local authorities and community members to discuss the implications of the two national processes.
The Waterloo meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Western Area Rural District Council, the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, the Minister of the Western Area and the Director of Communications at Statistics Sierra Leone.
Discussions focused on proposed administrative changes, including the creation of two new districts from parts of the Eastern and Southern regions, additional councils in the Western Area Urban and Rural districts, and the proposed elevation of Lungi to city status.
Officials explained that the changes are intended to bring governance closer to communities, improve public service delivery and ensure a more equitable distribution of resources in response to population growth.
The consultation in Tokeh addressed similar issues, with stakeholders emphasising the importance of public awareness and community participation in the redistricting process and the forthcoming census.
Officials from Statistics Sierra Leone confirmed that the 2026 National Population and Housing Census is scheduled to begin on December 1, 2026. The exercise is expected to provide population data for national development planning, constituency and district delimitation, and the implementation of government policies.
Meanwhile, the proposed redistricting arrangements remain before Parliament for consideration and approval.
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education said the town hall meetings form part of its nationwide civic education programme to inform citizens about major national policies and development initiatives. Some participants welcomed the consultations and called for similar engagements to be extended to other communities.
The engagements were supported by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs and UNFPA Sierra Leone.
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