Sierra Leone Telegraph: 25 March 2026:
One of the most serious misgivings expressed by opponents of President Julius Maada Bio’s entry into politics as a retired head of a brutal military junta, was the risk of him not respecting or suspending constitutional order, as he pleases.
And since coming to power in 2018, there are many in Sierra Leone who voted for him that are now expressing regret and longing for regime change at the polls in 2028, after his brutal response to peaceful protests by unarmed youths few years ago, living hundreds dead or unaccounted for.
Now, a political storm has been ignited, after his ruling party announced that President Bio will shortly be granting unconstitutional powers to his minority local councillors at the Freetown City Council to elect a new Mayor amongst their number to replace the sitting elected Mayor – Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr.
This move comes following the decision by Members of Parliament and local councillors of the country’s main opposition All People’s Congress Party (APC) to suspend their participation in governance, after what they describe as the government’s failure to implement key recommendations of a tripartite national peace accord report, including electoral reforms.
According to reports, 17 minority SLPP councillors of Freetown City Council out of a total of 50 elected concillors, have selected one of their colleagues to serve in an acting capacity, pending the return of the elected Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr.
Speaking on AYV TV, SLPP spokesman Moses Mambu said that their elected acting mayor will soon be presented to the SLPP party and the government to take over as Mayor of Freetown.
The response of the opposition APC party has been swift. Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said yesterday:
“I was interviewed on Truth Media this morning and clarified that whilst I am exercising my democratic right to protest, I remain the Mayor of Freetown. My current absence does not meet any of the conditions for the removal of a mayor as provided for in the Local Government Act 2022.
“Additionally the Local Government Act 2022 does not provide for an Acting Mayor. Per Sect 16(3) councillors can only vote for a councillor to preside over a council meeting in the absence of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Council meetings can only be held with a quorum of 50% of councillors. The 17 SLPP councillors in Freetown City Council do not have the quorum to hold a council meeting.
“Through this boycott we are calling on government to effectively and inclusively implement the Tripartite Recommendations and to urgently address the current drugs and cost of living crises.”
Writing on social media, the opposition APC Minority Leader of Parliament – Abdul Kargbo – MP, said: “The Local Government Act, 2022 does not provide for any appointment or designation of an “Acting Mayor” in circumstances where both the Chairperson/Mayor and the Deputy Chairperson/Deputy Mayor are absent from office. The only statutory contingency contemplated in such a situation relates to the conduct of council meetings.
“In that regard, section 16(3) provides that: ‘The District Council Chairperson/Mayor or in his or her absence the Deputy District Council Chairperson/Deputy Mayor or in his or her absence a Councillor appointed by the Councillors from among themselves, shall preside at meetings of the Council.’
“The scope of this provision is procedural and limited to the regulation of council sittings; it does not operate to vest in the councillor so appointed the substantive executive authority, functions, or powers reserved to the office of Chairperson/Mayor.
“Furthermore, there is no vacancy in the office of Chairperson/Mayor unless and until the office becomes vacant in accordance with the express provisions of the Act. In this regard, section 13(1) provides that: ‘The office of a District Council Chairperson/Mayor shall become vacant where the holder dies, resigns, is removed from office, ceases to be qualified for election, or is otherwise lawfully removed in accordance with this Act or any other law.’
“Accordingly, the mere temporary absence or unavailability of the Chairperson/Mayor does not constitute a vacancy in law and cannot be relied upon as a basis for the assumption or conferment of the office or its executive authority by any other person outside the framework established by the Act.
“In addition, the lawful constitution of any council meeting is subject to the mandatory requirement of quorum. Section 16(6) stipulates that: ‘The quorum for a meeting of a local council shall be half of all the Councillors, provided that where a local council holds a meeting to discuss financial matters, the quorum for such meetings shall be three-fourth of all members of the council.’
“The effect of this requirement is that, in the absence of the prescribed minimum attendance, a council meeting lacks legal competence to deliberate or take binding decisions. Any resolutions or actions purportedly taken without the requisite quorum would therefore be open to challenge and liable to be declared invalid.”
In the meantime, the opposition APC have served notice on the police and the government, that they along with their members and supporters will be coming out into the streets to protest against the government.
It remains to be seen whether President Bio and his SLPP party will follow through on their threat to replace the elected Mayor of Freetown, as the people of Sierra Leone brace themselves for another round of political chaos and violence.
Listen to Freetown Mayor Aki-Sawyerr:
Since publishing this story the Sierra Leone Telegraph has learnt that President Bio has approved the appointment of a new Acting Mayor of Freetown. He is said to be Mr Ibrahim Gbla, one of the elected minority SLPP councillors of Freetown (Photo below).
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