By Sulaiman Jalloh
As Sierra Leone prepares for the pivotal 2028 presidential and general elections, it is vital to critically examine the proposed Proportional Representation (PR) system of governance, particularly its implications for power sharing.
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has expressed strong confidence that his party, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), will secure a third consecutive term. While the President himself will not contest, political observers are closely watching who the SLPP will nominate as his successor.
During his recent State Opening of Parliament, the President suggested that the PR system is the most suitable electoral model for Sierra Leone, emphasizing power sharing not only at parliamentary and local council levels but also within the executive, this proposal marks a potential turning point in the country’s political landscape, with far-reaching consequences.
Traditionally, the opposition party plays a critical role in governance scrutinizing policies, holding the government accountable, and presenting alternatives. However, if the opposition becomes part of the executive in a power-sharing arrangement as seen in some African countries under “governments of national unity the space for dissent and accountability may be sharply reduced.
The risk is evident: when ruling and opposition parties share power, which holds whom accountable? The democratic principle of checks and balances could be undermined, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable to reduced transparency, weakened institutions, and limited policy choices.
From a journalistic perspective, these concerns are urgent. In such a political environment, media, civil society, and independent watchdog institutions become indispensable, their role in scrutinizing government actions, exposing corruption, and ensuring public accountability grows even more critical.
If Sierra Leone adopts a power-sharing executive under the PR system, journalists and civil society must prepare to fill the gap left by a weakened political opposition, this entails:
Intensifying investigative reporting, demanding transparency in appointments and decision-making, ensuring that power is exercised in the public interest, not merely divided among elites
Ultimately, the question remains, who watches the watchmen if both major political parties sit at the same table, the nation must rely on its free press, active citizenry, and independent institutions to safeguard democracy.
This is not just a political issue it is a national responsibility to ensure that power-sharing strengthens, rather than erodes, democratic governance.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday,18th August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
