By Ragan M. Conteh
As the calls for the restoration of democracy in Sierra Leone takes on a new pace, the just crowned Speaker of 6th Parliament, Dr Chernor Abass Bundu, has lampooned the international community for what he described as working for regime change in Sierra Leone.
Addressing the one-sided SLPP MPs in the Well of the Sierra Leone Parliament, Speaker Bundu said the reason behind the international community’s involvement in the current political situation in the country is merely to protect and promote their own interest and not the interest of Sierra Leoneans.
He revealed that the SLPP MPs should not be too worried about the absence of the opposition MPs in the 6th Parliament, as they will come once they are ready to serve their people.
The Speaker made the submission addressing SLPP MPs on Tuesday 18 July 2023 while giving his acceptance speech on the occasion of his re-election as Speaker at the Second Sitting of the Sixth Parliament in the Well of the Chambers of Parliament.
The Speaker pledged faithfully and conscientiously to discharge his duties as Speaker of this Sixth Parliament and to do right to all manner of people in accordance with the sacred and supreme law of the Constitution of Sierra Leone and to uphold the laws and customs of Parliament without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.
According to Dr Bundu, all of them in the chamber seated as Members of Parliament owe one of the greatest responsibilities that anyone can undertake for their country.
Together, he said they alone are the chosen people exclusively vested with the power to make laws for the country and, more particularly, to make laws for the peace, security, order and good government of Sierra Leone.
He pointed out that the power is inalienable and is given to them by the Constitution of Sierra Leone, which is the supreme law of the land, (the Grund norm as the Germans would call it). He assured every member has been given a copy of this most important document together with a copy of the Standing Orders of Parliament, adding that by the principle of separation of powers, members are now enjoined to stoutly defend and protect this power zealously.
‘To underline just how onerous this power of Parliament is, it is enshrined in section 73 of the Constitution. Precisely because it is so enshrined, it cannot be taken away from us. Because when we exercise this power to legislate we are doing so on behalf of the entire citizenry who have voted us to Parliament mainly for that purpose as well as to make their voices heard on matters that touch and concern the interests of our country,’ he lamented.
He continued that the awesomeness of this power is further emphasised by subsection (8) of section 108 of the Constitution which makes it abundantly clear that any attempt by any Bill to take it away from Parliament or to alter it in any shape or form, can only be done if at least two-thirds of all the Members of Parliament approve, and this approval goes for every stage of the legislative process.
Equally important, he maintained that even after two-thirds of the Members of Parliament shall have approved, the Bill must also be subjected to a referendum of the people. ‘Because of all these stringent essential preconditions, section 73 is generally referred to as an entrenched provision of the Constitution. It is alongside many other provisions that belong to this unique class all of which are listed under section 108 of the Constitution,’ he concluded.
That’s not all, he went on that even more prohibitive is the penalty of treason that awaits anyone who attempts to suspend, alter or repeal either section 73 or any other provision of the Constitution by means other than under the express authority of Parliament.
He furthered that treason is a capital offence punishable by death until it was changed recently to life imprisonment by the Fifth Parliament.
He concluded that whether the penalty is death or life imprisonment, it is a manifestation of the severity of the offence that is involved and which he wished to highlight.