On Thursday, December 8, 2022, members of Parliament rejected a Private Member’s Motion to revoke two Statutory Instruments relating to the Proportional Representation (PR) and District Block System for the conduct of the 24 June 2023 multitier elections that was put forth by Hon. Musa Fofana and seconded by Hon. Brima Mansaray.

In conclusion, it has been procedurally impossible for the Private Member’s Motion on the cancellation of the two Statutory Instruments to receive two-thirds (98 out of 146 MPs) of the votes needed to pass. The two Statutory Instruments will be utilized for the conduct of the 24th June 2023 multitier elections in accordance with Section 170 Sub-section (7) Paragraphs a, b, and c of Act No. 6 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, unless and until otherwise (case filed to the Supreme Court relating to same).

The Private Member’s Motion reads thus:

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“In accordance with Section 170 (7) (c) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991 and in tandem with S.O. 16 (6) and S.O 25 (2), I move that Statutory Instruments Numbers 13 and 14 of 2022 entitled:

The public Elections (Local Councils Proportional Representation System) Regulations 2022 Statutory Instrument No. 13 of 2022; and

The Public Elections (District Block Proportional System) Regulations, 2022 Statutory Instrument No. 14 of 2022 which were laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday 23rd November, 2022 due to their larger implementations on society be annulled by this Honourable House.” Hon. Musa Fofana, who moved for the annulment of both instruments, had an afterthought and wanted to withdraw his motion on the grounds that both Instruments were good for the promotion of democracy, peace and national cohesion in the country.

Other Leaders also submitted their thoughts on the Statutory Instruments before the House.

The All People’s Congress (APC), the biggest opposition party in Parliament, said that both Instruments had not been properly presented to the House and that the issue had also been brought before the Supreme Court for clarification.

On the other hand, the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) stated that they had fully adhered with the terms of the country’s 1991 constitution. The Hon. Speaker of Parliament responded after the arguments in favor of and against the motion. The Rt. Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu then posed the question, and MPs voted against the repeal of Statutory Instruments Numbers 13 and 14, which deal with how the multitier elections will be conducted in the upcoming year.

However, members of the APC’s parliamentary and public relations committees did not participate in the vote in Sierra Leone.