At the formal inauguration of the new National Assembly, which the government has boycotted, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone appealed for “unity” and “dialogue” to heal profound tensions over the contested elections of June 24.
“Dialogue and negotiation are urgently needed in this Parliament because no party has achieved a two-thirds majority. The president, who was re-elected for a second term at the end of June in the first round, stressed the need to establish common ground across party differences.
The opposition All People’s Congress Party (APC) opted to abstain from participating in any level of government, including the legislature and local councils, after concluding that President Bio and his party had rigged the results of the presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections. On Thursday morning, only one of the 54 opposition representatives was present in the hemicycle.
The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), which now holds 81 seats, only has a majority of 54% of the vote. It would fall short of the two-thirds majority required to approve specific sorts of legislation, such as amending the constitution or choosing the speaker of parliament, even with the expected backing of the 14 traditional chiefs present in parliament.
However, it is uncertain whether APC members who have not taken the oath are considered in these circumstances.
MPs should strive to “put the interest of the nation first, transcend partisan lines, and forge alliances beyond political affiliations,” according to President Bio.
International observers criticized the “lack of transparency” in the vote count following the June elections in addition to “statistical inconsistencies”.
President Bio acknowledged “logistical limits” for these elections on Thursday. He announced the formation of a commission made up of representatives from the government, civil society, and development organizations to examine how the election was managed and offer recommendations.
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