The Sierra Leone Parliament approves Recommendation 20 of the Tripartite Report, establishing a Standing Committee on Electoral Matters. The membership of the committee includes parliamentarians from the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the Main Opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) Party, representatives of Paramount Chief members of Parliament, with Hon. Abdul Kargbo, APC Minority Leader as Chairman and Hon. Mathew S Nyuma, Leader of Government Business as Deputy Chairman. The two parties are tasked by the Hon. Speaker to develop separate Terms of References, which will be finalized and approved at a parliamentary meeting.
Recommendation 20 provides for “the creation of a dedicated parliamentary oversight committee comprising representatives from all political parties represented in Parliament. The Committee is mandated to review each electoral cycle, examine electoral preparedness, and guide legislative reforms relating to elections. In line with the recommendation, the Committee is to be chaired by a Member of Parliament from the Opposition Party.”
The implementation of Recommendation 20 marks another milestone in the ongoing implementation of the 80 recommendations contained in the Tripartite Report. The new committee is expected to strengthen parliamentary oversight of electoral matters, in line with the 20 April 2026 Press Statement of the International Moral Guarantors, which stated:
“The government to engage the leadership of Parliament to urgently constitute the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in the spirit of the Agreement for National Unity, specifically Recommendation 20 of the Tripartite Report to review the electoral cycle, inquire into electoral preparedness and guide legislative reforms towards the 2028 general elections. The Parliamentary leadership to ensure the development of Terms of Reference for the Standing Committee, but within the context of Section 32(11) of the Constitution.”
The approval underpins the collaborative efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone, Parliament, Political Parties, and other stakeholders through the tripartite process to advance reforms aimed at strengthening democratic governance and public confidence in the country’s electoral system.
The Secretariat encourages continued collaboration among Government, Parliament, Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations, the Private Sector, and Development Partners to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the remaining Tripartite Report recommendations, as indicated in the Press Statement of the International Moral Guarantors.
The Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat continues to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the remaining Tripartite Report recommendations.
