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Member of Parliament for Port Loko District, Hon. Aminata Sesay, has challenged assertions that the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system was solely responsible for increasing women’s representation in Parliament, arguing that the progress made by women in politics is rooted in merit, public service and legal reforms.
Contributing to the debate on the Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament on Tuesday, Hon. Sesay said her election to Parliament was the result of years of commitment to serving her constituents rather than the electoral system under which she was elected.
She noted that she represents Constituency 074, a constituency she described as traditionally dominated by male politicians, stressing that her political success was earned through hard work and sustained engagement with the people she serves.
Hon. Sesay rejected suggestions that the PR system should receive exclusive credit for the increased number of women in Parliament. She argued that if there had been a stronger commitment to promoting women’s political participation, political parties could have designated more safe seats for female candidates instead of relying primarily on the PR list system.
The legislator also questioned the effectiveness of the public consultations conducted on the Constitution Amendment Bill, expressing concern that the outcome appeared predetermined in favour of retaining the PR electoral system. She said public engagement should meaningfully influence legislative reforms rather than merely endorse decisions that have already been made.
Addressing women’s representation, Hon. Sesay maintained that the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act has been a more significant factor in increasing female participation in Parliament than the PR system itself. She emphasised that the Act’s requirement for a minimum 30 per cent representation should be preserved irrespective of the electoral system ultimately adopted.
She further argued that the national conversation should focus on creating practical opportunities that enable more women to contest and win parliamentary seats rather than attributing their success solely to a particular electoral model.
Hon. Sesay also dismissed the notion that women are universally disadvantaged in politics because of their financial status, stating that many female legislators have demonstrated strong leadership, mobilised resources and delivered meaningful development in their constituencies.
On the constitutional provisions under debate, she called for accurate interpretation of the law and urged lawmakers to conduct the debate with honesty and transparency, warning against what she described as attempts to mislead the public on key constitutional issues.
Her remarks formed part of the ongoing parliamentary debate on the Constitution Amendment Bill, which continues as lawmakers deliberate on proposed reforms affecting Sierra Leone’s electoral system and broader constitutional governance.
