SLAJ Warns Against Political Rising Tensions
By Marion Rion Bangura
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has issued an official press statement addressing the escalating political controversy and procedural disputes surrounding Parliament’s handling of the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2025. Signed by SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the media body urged all political factions to prioritize national cohesion, exercise restraint, and respect the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the matter.
The statement follows a chaotic parliamentary voting session marked by the walkout of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC). Following the APC’s departure, the ruling majority proceeded to vote on the bill, producing a vote total that ignited fierce national debate over whether the process satisfied the mandatory two-thirds constitutional threshold required for constitutional amendments under the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Key Issues and Stakeholder Responses
In response to the growing legal impasse, the Speaker of Parliament officially referred the constitutional voting criteria to the Supreme Court for formal interpretation. SLAJ highlighted several core positions regarding the ongoing democratic process:
Recourse to the Judiciary: SLAJ formally welcomed the Speaker’s decision to defer the constitutional dispute to the Supreme Court, calling on all political parties, state institutions, and citizens to abide by the court’s final ruling.
Call for Political Restraint: The association urged political actors to avoid inflammatory rhetoric or actions that could heighten public tension or undermine trust in democratic institutions.
Commitment to Broad Dialogue: SLAJ emphasized that constitutional reform should command broad public consensus and trust, noting that political disagreements must be managed strictly through dialogue and established legal channels.
Role of the Press: The association commended media outlets nationwide for providing comprehensive coverage of the parliamentary proceedings—including the prior stakeholder engagement at Tokeh—and urged journalists to maintain fair, contextual, and accurate reporting as the legal challenge unfolds.
Strengthening Institutional Integrity
Reiterating the fundamental purpose of constitutional governance, SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara stressed that national legal frameworks must transcend party lines. “Constitutional reform must ultimately be about more than winning or losing a political contest,” Kamara noted, adding that any amendment process must reinforce democratic principles, institutional rights, and long-term national stability for all Sierra Leoneans.
