By Emma Black
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Esq. Alpha Sesay, has provided an in-depth update on Sierra Leone’s ongoing Constitutional Review Process (CRP), emphasizing its historic significance and the administration’s commitment to strengthening democratic governance.
Speaking to the media, Minister Sesay traced the origins of the CRP to a clause in the Lomé Peace Accord, which underscored the urgent need to review the 1991 Constitution. He noted that the Constitution’s inadequacies contributed, in part, to the outbreak of the Civil War due to provisions that allowed excessive discretionary powers to the Executive.
The Attorney-General recalled that the CRP was first initiated by Dr. Peter Tucker during the tenure of the late President Tejan Kabbah and later continued under Justice Edmund Cowan during former President Ernest Bai Koroma’s administration. The process involved extensive public consultations from 2008 to 2017, including over 10,000 consultations and the submission of more than 150 position papers from various interest groups.
Some of Justice Cowan’s recommendations were selectively adopted, while others were rejected by the 2017 White Paper under President Koroma, Esq. Sesay explained. The 2021 recommendations under President Bio’s administration aim to build upon and upgrade the 2017 White Paper, not to contradict it.
Minister Sesay highlighted that the draft Constitution will incorporate existing legislations under President Bio’s leadership, including the abolition of the death penalty and the guarantee of free, quality education as a fundamental human right.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to curtailing excessive executive powers, including the removal of arbitrary State of Emergency provisions that, under previous administrations, were used to justify torture, unlawful detention, and arbitrary arrests.
We are also working to remove presidential discretion over announcing election dates, Sesay said, by providing clear constitutional provisions, such as specifying that general elections are held on the second or last Saturday of a designated month as the five-year government term concludes.
The Minister further assured that the new Constitution will protect the position of the Vice President, ensuring a sitting vice president cannot be dismissed even if they lose party membership a clear response to past controversies, including the dismissal of Chief Samuel Sam Sumana under President Koroma.
Esq. Sesay also stressed the importance of retaining laws already enacted by the Bio administration that safeguard women’s rights and empower them across various sectors. Additionally, the proposed Constitution seeks to eliminate the jury system in Sierra Leone’s justice sector as part of broader judicial reforms.
The Constitutional Review Process is designed to reflect the views and aspirations of Sierra Leoneans, the Attorney-General said, ensuring a democratic society that fosters accountability, protects citizens’ rights, and promotes economic prosperity for all.
Minister Sesay concluded by reaffirming President Bio’s unwavering commitment to completing the CRP, signaling a historic step toward modernizing Sierra Leone’s governance framework and reinforcing the rule of law.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 15th September, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
