Post a comment 
Presidential Spokesman Dr. Alpha Kanu has defended the introduction of the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system, arguing that the All People’s Congress (APC) stands to benefit from the system alongside other political parties.
Kanu made the assertion during the Government Weekly Press Conference in Freetown on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, while reflecting on Parliament’s recent passage of constitutional amendments, describing the development as a “watershed moment” in Sierra Leone’s democratic transition.
According to him, PR provides an opportunity for broader political representation and gives different groups and political parties a greater stake in the governance process.
“Actually, the APC also stands to benefit from this because of proportional representation,” Kanu said, arguing that the system could create a more inclusive political environment in which “everyone can have a stake.”
He maintained that the introduction of PR should not be viewed solely through a partisan lens, but as part of a broader constitutional reform process aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s democracy and preventing political instability.
Kanu traced the origins of the reform process to previous constitutional review initiatives, including the work of the Constitutional Review Commission established under former President Ernest Bai Koroma.
He said the Commission, chaired by the late Justice Edmund Cowan, conducted extensive nationwide consultations and recommended PR as a more inclusive electoral system.
The Commission also recommended increasing the presidential electoral threshold to 55 percent, which Kanu said was intended to reduce tensions and violence associated with presidential runoff elections.
He noted that the APC government subsequently accepted the recommendations and incorporated them into a White Paper, before a constitutional amendment bill was drafted in 2017.
Kanu therefore argued that the current constitutional reforms should be viewed as part of a long-running national process rather than an initiative belonging exclusively to the current administration.
He further linked the reforms to recommendations emerging from the Lomé Peace Accord and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying lessons from Sierra Leone’s civil war demonstrated the need for institutional reforms capable of safeguarding peace and political stability.
On PR specifically, Kanu said the system could ultimately contribute to peace, security and national development by ensuring broader representation.
“By introducing proportional representation, everyone can have a stake in the system, and at the end of the day, PR can help promote peace, security and, of course, development for our country,” he said.
His comments come amid continued political debate over Sierra Leone’s constitutional amendments, particularly the electoral reforms and the implications of the PR system for the country’s major political parties.
