Lawyers’ Society President Declares Sierra Leone’s Parliament at Its Weakest

September 26, 2025

Augustine Sorie Sengbe-Marrah, President of the Sierra Leone Lawyers’ Society, has delivered a scathing critique of the country’s legislature, describing it as the weakest Parliament in Sierra Leone’s history.

In his remarks, Sengbe-Marrah reflected on government plans to create new localities, arguing that the initiative is driven more by political motives than by clear evidence or rational planning. He cautioned that while politicians often pursue their own interests, in this case their goals appear to overlap with citizens’ demands for accountable governance.

“We should not fault them when their political objectives align with the genuine needs of the people,” he said, noting that the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) had failed to provide convincing evidence to justify the proliferation of new localities.

Sengbe-Marrah stressed that if government had presented a data-driven case, neutral observers would have welcomed the decision. Instead, he believes the proposal lacks credibility.

Turning to the electoral system, the Lawyers’ Society President expressed cautious support for the Proportional Representation (PR) model, calling it a strong form of governance but warning that Sierra Leone is not yet fully prepared to embrace it.

Comparing the current legislature to its predecessors, he lamented a sharp decline in parliamentary independence and strength. “Sierra Leone does not have that kind of strong Parliament compared to the first one. This is the weakest Parliament,” he declared.