Although widely seen as illegitimate at the moment, Sierra Leone’s parliament is due to start on 12th October, this year to carry out their functions of law making and representation.
81 SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) parliamentarians, on Thursday 13 July, 2023, subscribed to parliamentary oath.
Section 83 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991 clearly states that an elected member of Parliament should take the oath to be legally recognised as representative of his people.
The parliamentary elections results announced by the electoral Commission for Sierra Leone three months ago, gave SLPP majority in Parliament.
The results indicated that SLPP attained 81 Parliamentary seats leaving 54 for the main opposition, All People’s Congress.
14 paramount chief members of Parliament are also part of the current parliament.
Disillusioned and disappointed, APC parliamentarians, boycotted the legislative house with allegations of election rigging.
Many Sierra Leoneans have expressed resentment for the continuation of a Parliament widely seen as illegal, and that laws and agreements that will be passed under the current Parliament are also illegal.
Suspicion of enacting draconian laws and amending the constitution by ambush to suit SLPP’s interest remains widespread while the ruling party turns deaf ears.
SLPP however defend their stance that they do not constitute two-third majority even if the 14 Paramount Chiefs and the 81 parliamentarians are put together.
They argue that most of the laws in the previous parliament were enacted without rules and procedures.
Questions about whether laws and agreement were passed in the absence of opposition parliamentarians or non- adherence to procedures also came up.