By Sallieu S. Kanu
Freetown, January 25, 2026: The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) has sounded an alarm over Sierra Leone’s ongoing constitutional and electoral reform processes, cautioning that while reforms present opportunities to strengthen democratic governance, certain provisions risk undermining electoral integrity, political pluralism, and public trust.
In a policy brief released this week, CHRDI highlighted that the 1991 Constitution remains the cornerstone of Sierra Leone’s legal and political framework, safeguarding fundamental rights, democratic principles, and the separation of powers. Recent reform efforts, including constitutional review initiatives launched in 2021 and electoral reforms enacted in 2022, aim to address governance challenges by curbing executive powers, reinforcing judicial independence, enhancing human rights protections, and improving electoral transparency.
The organisation stressed that elections must remain credible moments when citizens freely express their will. It warned that poorly designed reforms could become a “trapdoor for democracy” if used to manipulate outcomes or exclude political actors.
CHRDI’s brief pointed to persistent ethnic and political divisions, evident during the disputed 2023 general elections, which led to the Agreement for National Unity (ANU). While the ANU reduced tensions and restored opposition participation, CHRDI expressed concern over the draft Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act 2025. Key issues flagged include the exclusion of persons with disabilities from nomination bodies, unrealistic petition timelines, unclear criteria for independent candidates, and provisions to deregister political parties that fail to win two consecutive elections.
The organisation acknowledged positive elements in the bill, such as a 30 percent gender quota, clearer election timelines, limits on presidential powers, and measures reinforcing the neutrality of security forces. However, it warned that other provisions could concentrate authority, weaken checks and balances, and erode public confidence in governance institutions.
Situating the reforms within Sierra Leone’s broader constitutional history—from the 1999 Lomé Peace Accord and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call for inclusive reform, to review efforts between 2007 and 2017—CHRDI cautioned that failure to implement credible and inclusive reforms could worsen electoral vulnerabilities, threaten human rights, and damage Sierra Leone’s democratic credibility both at home and abroad.