By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
The introduction of the Proportional Representation (PR) system in Sierra Leone has been one of the most controversial moves by the current government, spearheaded by President Julius Maada Bio and the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). It has sparked heated debates across the nation and divided opinions not along the lines of reason or evidence but rather along the lines of political loyalty, propaganda, and opportunism.
What is even more appalling is the manner in which the SLPP government, backed by some self-serving and dysfunctional political parties, has tried to impose this system on the people without their consent, openly spreading lies, half-truths, and concocted theories to force Sierra Leoneans into accepting it as though it were the best option. This is not just bad governance. It is a naked attempt to undermine democracy in Sierra Leone.
For decades, Sierra Leone has practiced the First Past the Post electoral system. It is not a perfect system, but it is one that Sierra Leoneans know, understand, and have built their democratic experience around. The system is simple: the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency wins. It empowers the voter directly because citizens know their representative and hold them accountable. But the government now wants to erase this connection between the people and their direct representatives by replacing it with a PR system, a system that hands power to political elites who decide the ranking and selection of candidates. Instead of voters electing individuals, they would be voting for party lists. This is not an improvement but rather a regression, a system that takes power from the people and hands it to the party structures dominated by the few.
The SLPP and its operatives have gone around the country trying to justify this move. They argue that the PR system will reduce political violence, enhance inclusivity, and provide a fairer outcome in elections. They parade these talking points on radio, television, and at political gatherings as though repeating a lie would somehow transform it into truth. But the Sierra Leonean people are not fools. We know the truth: the PR system is being introduced to entrench the ruling party, silence dissent, and weaken the direct accountability that First Past the Post offers. It is a tool of political manipulation designed not to serve the people but to protect the government’s hold on power.
What is even more disgraceful is the role of other so-called political parties in this charade. Many of these parties are shells, non-functional organizations that exist only on paper or are brought to life during election cycles. They have no grassroots structures, no constituency offices, and no accountability to the people. Yet suddenly, they have become vocal cheerleaders for the PR system. Why? Because they have been bribed or promised favors. In exchange for a few coins or the illusion of political relevance, they have sold out the people of Sierra Leone. They dance to the tune of the ruling government while pretending to be independent voices. They claim to speak for the people, but in reality, they only speak for their stomachs.
These political opportunists betray the principles of democracy. They betray the people who look to them as alternatives to the ruling party. They betray the very idea of opposition politics which is supposed to provide checks and balances. Instead of demanding a transparent national conversation about electoral reforms, they insert themselves into the narrative to justify an imposition that no genuine Sierra Leonean wants. Their hypocrisy and opportunism deserve as much condemnation as the deceit of the government itself.
Let us be clear: democracy is not about the government deciding what is good for the people. It is about the people deciding for themselves. No one should be fooled into thinking that the PR system is the answer to Sierra Leone’s democratic challenges. The real answer lies in building stronger institutions, ensuring free and fair elections, empowering the judiciary, and creating an environment where citizens’ votes truly count. The PR system is a diversion, a way to mask the government’s failures and to consolidate power at the expense of the people.
It is also an insult to the sacrifices Sierra Leoneans have made for democracy. This country has gone through a brutal civil war, years of authoritarian rule, and countless struggles just to have the right to vote freely and directly for their representatives. To now tell the people that their power should be diluted and transferred to political party structures is to dishonor that history and trample on the memories of those who fought and died for democratic freedoms.
The lies of the government and its political collaborators cannot be allowed to stand. The only legitimate way to decide such a fundamental change in our electoral system is through a referendum. The people must be given the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want to keep First Past the Post or switch to Proportional Representation. Anything less than this is illegitimate, undemocratic, and unacceptable.
The government must be reminded that it serves the people, not the other way around. Sierra Leoneans are not passive recipients of decisions cooked up at State House or party offices. We are citizens with rights, with voices, and with power. Any attempt to impose the PR system without the expressed consent of the people will be met with resistance. We are not accepting anything other than a referendum.
It is time to call out President Bio and his party for what they are doing. This is not reform. This is not progress. This is a brazen attempt to rig the political system in their favor. They may cloak it in the language of inclusivity and fairness, but the truth is plain for all to see. The PR system is about power, not people. It is about control, not democracy. And it must be rejected.
It is also time for Sierra Leoneans to look beyond the rhetoric of dysfunctional political parties who pretend to represent alternatives. They do not. They are partners in deception. The real alternative lies in the power of the people to stand firm, to demand their rights, and to insist that their voices be heard.
The first past the post system may not be perfect, but it keeps the link between representatives and the people intact. It keeps politicians accountable to the constituencies that elect them. It ensures that Sierra Leoneans know who speaks for them in parliament. To lose that connection in favor of party lists and elite manipulation would be to weaken democracy, not strengthen it.
We must therefore reject the lies, reject the propaganda, reject the bribed endorsements of fake political parties, and reject the imposition of the PR system. We must insist that only the people of Sierra Leone, through a referendum, can decide on such a fundamental change. Anything else is illegitimate. Anything else is tyranny.
The call is clear: let the people decide. Hold a referendum and let Sierra Leoneans speak. Until then, no PR system should be accepted. The government may try to cow us with lies, theories, and manipulations, but the truth will prevail. The power belongs to the people, and the people must decide.