Legal and institutional disputes involving Sierra Leone’s election-monitoring body and the country’s constitutional framework are unfolding ahead of the 2028 elections, raising questions about public confidence in the electoral process.

The National Election Watch, a civil society coalition established in 2002 by 494 registered organizations, held elections for new leadership in April and announced officials expected to assume office. The organization’s stated mission is to monitor, evaluate and support electoral processes across Sierra Leone.

According to a report by The Sierra Leone Telegraph, the leadership process was followed by an internal dispute that led to judicial intervention. An injunction has restricted the National Election Watch from carrying out its traditional functions. The party that sought the injunction, as well as its duration and detailed terms, have not been identified in the available information.

The development affects an organization that has operated for more than two decades and built a national reputation as an independent electoral watchdog. Its observers and leaders have traditionally provided election assessments followed closely by households across the country. Marcella Samba-Sesay is among the leaders associated with the organization.

Constitutional amendment challenged

Separately, Parliament approved the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in August 2026. The government has presented the changes as democratic reforms designed to modernize the electoral system, expand inclusion, lower the cost and tension associated with presidential runoffs, and address weaknesses identified in earlier reviews.

The opposition has challenged both key provisions of the amendment and the process through which the bill advanced. The APC has taken the matter to the Supreme Court, disputing the Speaker’s interpretation and the procedure used in passing the amendment.

A Freetown law firm has separately questioned whether the constitutionally required threshold for approval was reached. The specific provisions under challenge and the identity of the firm have not been disclosed in the verified information available for this report.

The president of Sierra Leone is also seeking clarification from the Supreme Court. The court’s eventual interpretation and ruling remain unknown.

Questions before 2028

The disputes come as Sierra Leone continues to deal with political and institutional fallout from the disputed 2023 elections. Questions about transparency, public confidence, electoral administration and the credibility of the announced results remain part of the wider national debate.

Preparations for credible elections require work well before polling day, including voter education, legal reform, institutional oversight, scrutiny of voter registration, engagement with political parties, campaign monitoring, assessment of electoral technologies and procedures, and broader civic participation.

The Sierra Leone Telegraph reported that unresolved disputes surrounding the National Election Watch and the constitutional amendment could weaken confidence in the 2028 electoral process. The legal proceedings will help determine the framework under which that election is conducted, while the watchdog’s institutional status may affect the monitoring and public assessment of the vote.