On 21 April, Sierra Leone's main opposition party, the All People's Congress (APC), agreed to end its 3-months long boycott of Parliament and local councils following a mediated agreement with the government centred on electoral reforms. The breakthrough came after talks facilitated by international guarantors, including ECOWAS, UNOWAS and the Commonwealth, which resulted in a commitment to restructure the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) by 31 December 2026. The APC subsequently instructed its elected members to resume full participation in national and local governance institutions. The agreement also included commitments to advance implementation of recommendations from the Agreement for National Unity and the Tripartite Committee process, including the establishment of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electoral Matters ahead of the 2028 elections.  

Sources: Sierraloaded; West Africa Democracy Radio; AYV News 

On 26 January, Parliament held a pre-legislative consultation bringing together lawmakers, government officials, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to review proposed constitutional amendments before formal parliamentary debate. Part of a long-running constitutional review process, the key provisions include: Parliament's proposed power to remove a President or Vice-President who loses party membership, restrictions on the powers of an outgoing President during transition periods, the creation of a Search and Nomination Committee to identify electoral authorities, Proportional Representation (PR) as the permanent system for parliamentary elections, reduction of the threshold for a first-round presidential victory to 50 per cent plus one vote, and requirement for political parties to ensure at least 30 per cent of nominees for national and local elections are women.  

Sources: Parliament of Sierra Leone; Premier Media; Government of Sierra Leone 

In September, President Julius Maada Bio suspended Supreme Court judge Allan Halloway for misconduct, shortly after Halloway made public complaints against the Chief Justice, whose behaviour, he claimed, was undermining judicial independence and the administration of justice. The allegations made by Halloway against Chief Justice Komba Kamanda included recalling cases from judges before they had been concluded, interfering in a case he had been assigned and withholding his employment benefits. No reason was given for the suspension, which followed a recommendation by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC), chaired by the Chief Justice. The ambiguity was heavily criticised by a senior member of the Commission, Judge Reginald Sydney Fynn. The suspension was also criticised by Sierra Leone’s Lawyer’s Society, which alleged the JLSC had failed to adhere to a constitutional requirement that a tribunal be established before a judge is suspended. 

Sources: Sierra Leone Telegraph, Sierra Leone Concord Times, Truth Media, The Lawyer's Society of Sierra Leone

On 20 December, Sierra Leone’s parliament voted to remove from office the country’s Auditor General, Lara Taylor-Pearce and her deputy, Tamba Momoh, completing a process that began in 2021. Taylor-Pearce, who had served as Auditor General since 2011, had a reputation as a highly independent investigator and her office was regarded by many as one of Sierra Leone’s most effective state institutions. In November 2021, however, she and Momoh were suspended by President Bio for ‘professional misconduct’ and a ‘lack of professional performance’ over their audit of an overseas medical trip he took. The charges were confirmed and their dismissal recommended by a judicial tribunal following hearings that were criticised by civil society for a lack of due process and evidence. The tribunal also recommended the establishment of a mechanism for monitoring and disciplining the Auditor-General, a proposal that analysts fear would undermine the office’s constitutionally protected independence. 

Sources: The Sierra Leone Telegraph (1), The Sierra Leone Telegraph (2), Africa Confidential, Analysis of the Report of the Tribunal on the Auditor-General and Deputy Auditor-General, Democracy in Africa.