Post a comment 
A proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill for 2025 is set to allow independent candidates to run for the presidency in Sierra Leone for the first time, a significant shift intended to widen political choice beyond established parties.
However, legal advocates are warning that vague conditions attached to the provision could unintentionally disenfranchise ordinary citizens.
Under the new law, independent candidates who are not members of any political party will be eligible to contest for the highest office. However, they must first demonstrate “sufficient financial capacity and community support, as prescribed by law.”
The Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ) has raised urgent concerns regarding these prerequisites, noting that there is currently no legislation explaining how these tests will be applied.
In a statement regarding the recommendation, ILRAJ warned that an undefined “financial capacity” test risks locking out qualified, ordinary citizens while favoring the wealthy. The group argued that high fees or overly strict financial rules could be abused by those in power to limit competition.
“Political parties face no such test, which creates an unfair advantage,” the statement read. ILRAJ further contended that “community support belongs at the ballot box, not behind administrative barriers.”
The legal body has called on Parliament to establish clear and fair rules before the provision is enacted, asserting that democracy must remain open to all qualified citizens and that wealth should not be the deciding factor in who can lead the nation.
