A public dispute has erupted between Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh over the pace of implementing the Tripartite Committee Recommendations, with the Mayor citing official data showing minimal progress just two years before the next general election.

In a social media post on Thursday, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr drew attention to a publication from the Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat indicating that only 10% of the Committee’s recommendations have been implemented since they were finalized in June 2024.

“The effective, inclusive and timely implementation of the Tripartite Recommendations are a prerequisite for free, fair and credible elections in 2028,” Aki-Sawyerr wrote.

The Tripartite Committee was established under Resolution Three of the Agreement for National Unity (ANU), which was signed in 2023 by the Government and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) to ease political tensions following the disputed 2023 elections. The Committee produced 80 recommendations aimed at reforming electoral and governance processes.

Related News

Chief Minister Sengeh, who serves as Chairman of the Steering Committee overseeing the implementation, responded directly to the Mayor’s comments, accusing her of misrepresenting the facts and avoiding direct engagement with the process.

“The way you report is quite fascinating,” Sengeh wrote. “Firstly, as a leader you have an opportunity to show up and sit at the table to engage and learn more. Unfortunately you were absent.”

Sengeh asserted that the Mayor had selectively shared an image from a complex report to “misinform the public,” calling her actions “dangerous to democracy.” He encouraged her to “engage with the experts” rather than making “negative analyses” from the outside.

In a subsequent detailed statement titled “The Chief’s Diary,” Sengeh outlined the government’s perspective on the implementation status of both the ANU and the Tripartite Report. He stated that the eight resolutions of the ANU have been 100% implemented, according to reports from the “moral guarantors” established to monitor the agreement. A full review with the guarantors is scheduled for April 2026.

Regarding the Tripartite Report, Sengeh acknowledged the work is ongoing but pushed back against the characterization of gridlock. He highlighted that the Steering Committee, which includes ministers, mayors, Paramount Chiefs, and representatives from civil society and development partners, held its first quarterly meeting for the year on March 12.

According to the Chief Minister, updates from the Attorney General and various agencies revealed two key points: significant progress has been made, particularly with constitutional reforms currently before Parliament; and there is a recommendation to extend the Steering Committee’s mandate by six months to complete monitoring and evaluation .

Sengeh specifically noted that institutions like the Office of National Security (ONS), Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), and Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) have taken major steps to implement recommendations.

The Chief Minister pointed out a lack of participation from key political stakeholders. He noted that members of both the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the opposition APC, as well as mayors from APC-controlled councils, were absent from the recent Steering Committee meeting. He reiterated that the government maintains an “open-door approach” for all stakeholders .

The public exchange highlights ongoing political friction surrounding the reform process. The APC has previously raised concerns about the pace of implementation. In a February 2026 address, APC Acting National Chairman Ambassador Alhaji Dr. Osman Foday Yansaneh described progress as “limited and far below expectations,” and labeled the Steering Committee as “dysfunctional and lacking inclusiveness”.

Despite the political disputes, the Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat continues its technical work. Recent engagements include a meeting with the ONS to review security sector reforms and discussions with ECOWAS on the broader reform process