At the closed of the two days Conference on National Cohesion at Bintumani Conference in Freetown, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has called on Sierra Leoneans to support Proportional Representation (PR) as a pathway to strengthening political inclusion and dramatically improving women’s representation in national decision-making.
The Vice President made the appeal on Tuesday, 27 October, 2026, while delivering remarks at the closing of the National Unity and Social Cohesion Conference at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown.
The high-level conference, which brought together former President Ernest Bai Koroma, political parties, civil society, development partners and traditional leaders, was convened to chart a new path for national reconciliation after years of political polarization.
Dr. Jalloh said the conference had revealed one consistent truth: Sierra Leoneans still harbour deep fears of exclusion and injustice.
“One critical pathway to building trust and cohesion is to progressively address the fears of exclusion and social injustice,” the Vice President told the gathering.
He argued that the Proportional Representation system, which Sierra Leone used in the 2023 general elections, offers a more inclusive model than the First-Past-The-Post constituency system.
Under PR, he noted, political parties are compelled to present diverse lists that include women, youth, persons with disabilities and representatives from all districts and regions, thereby reducing the winner-takes-all mentality that fuels division.
“PR is not just an electoral formula. It is a tool for inclusion. It guarantees that women’s voices are heard, that minority groups are not shut out, and that every vote counts in building national decision-making,” Dr. Jalloh added.
His comments come at a time when debate is intensifying over which electoral system Sierra Leone should adopt for the 2028 general elections. The main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) has been pushing for a return to constituency-based elections, while the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and several civil society groups have defended PR as more inclusive and less prone to violence.
The Vice President also linked women’s representation directly to national cohesion, stating that no country can achieve unity when half its population is underrepresented in Parliament, Cabinet and local councils.
Currently, Sierra Leone has a 30% gender quota law, which was made possible through the PR district block system in 2023, resulting in the highest number of women in Parliament in the country’s history.
Political observers at Bintumani said Dr. Jalloh’s intervention was significant because it reframed the PR debate from a partisan issue to a national cohesion and trust-building issue.
“For the VP to say inclusion is about trust is powerful. People don’t fight because they hate each other; they fight because they fear being excluded from power and resources. PR addresses that fear,” said a female delegate from Koinadugu.
The conference ended with a communique committing to sustained dialogue, implementation of TRC recommendations, and continued engagement between President Julius Maada Bio and former President Koroma.
Dr. Jalloh’s call for PR is expected to trigger fresh political debate in the coming weeks as Parliament prepares to review the electoral framework for 2028.