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National Public Relations Officer of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Moses Mambu, has referred to both 2028 and 2030 as possible election years, raising fresh questions amid ongoing speculation about whether the government could seek to extend its current term beyond 2028.
Mambu made the remarks while discussing the SLPP’s anticipated process for selecting its next presidential flag bearer and the party’s preparations for the next general elections.
He said all aspirants would be given the opportunity to contest at the party’s delegates’ conference, with the eventual winner expected to receive the support of the other contenders as the party seeks to remain united.
“We have a flag bearer. All the other flag-bearer aspirants will contest at the delegates’ conference. Whoever wins will be supported by everyone, and we will form a united force to ensure that we win the 2028 or 2030 elections effectively,” Mambu said.
The reference to 2030, however, has attracted attention because Sierra Leone’s next general elections are currently scheduled for 2028. The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone has previously referred to the 2028 elections, while President Julius Maada Bio has repeatedly spoken about the need for the SLPP to prepare for that election.
Mambu’s remarks therefore come against a backdrop of public speculation and political debate over whether the current administration could seek an extension of its tenure.
He did not explicitly state that the SLPP or the government intends to extend President Bio’s current constitutional term to 2030. Rather, his statement referred to 2028 or 2030 when discussing the election at which the party would seek to retain power.
The SLPP PRO also sought to assure party members that he would respect the decisions of whoever emerges as the party’s next flag bearer.
“Whatever the winner does not do as a party, I will never do. Whatever the winner does not do in the 2028 or 2030 elections, I will not do either,” he said.
His comments on the timing of elections also drew attention to Sierra Leone’s previous electoral history. Mambu referenced the postponement of elections around the Ebola period, suggesting that the country had previously experienced a significant alteration to its electoral timetable.
Sierra Leone’s 2018 general elections, however, were held on March 7, 2018, after the previous general elections in 2012. The electoral cycle had been affected by the Ebola crisis, with the 2017 election date eventually moved to 2018.
The 2018 presidential runoff was subsequently delayed from its initially planned date following a court injunction and was eventually held on March 31, 2018.
Mambu’s latest remarks are particularly significant because the SLPP has already begun discussions around its succession and flag bearer selection ahead of the next presidential contest. In April 2026, President Julius Maada Bio told SLPP supporters that the party’s next flag bearer should emerge through a transparent democratic process, stressing that the candidate must be capable of uniting the party and winning the country.
In May, Mambu similarly stated that the SLPP would adopt a democratic process in selecting its next presidential flag bearer and that delegates would determine the eventual candidate.
Against this background, Mambu’s reference to “2028 or 2030” is likely to intensify political discussion over the timing of Sierra Leone’s next presidential election.
However, his statement alone does not establish that the government has decided to extend its tenure to 2030. The scheduled 2028 election remains the publicly established electoral timeline, and any change to that timetable would require a lawful constitutional and electoral basis.
For now, the most significant development is that a senior SLPP spokesperson has publicly mentioned 2030 alongside 2028 while outlining the party’s plans for retaining power, providing fresh material for debate over the country’s next electoral transition.
