Sierra Leone Lawmakers Scuffle Over Electoral Reform

A brawl broke out in Sierra Leone’s parliament Wednesday as lawmakers debated a proposed change to the electoral system to allow for proportional representation in next year’s election, local media reported.

They debated a proposed change to the electoral system to allow for proportional representation in next year’s election.

In video footage, representatives from the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party are seen fighting and throwing chairs.

The West African nation’s electoral commission advised switching to a proportional representation system for next year’s local and parliamentary elections excluding presidential polls.

The opposition claims the move would be unconstitutional when the government backs the plan.

However, for it to be passed, it requires parliamentary approval.

Lawmakers torn apart equipment and broke a vase.

Matthew Sahr Nyuma, chairman of parliament’s information committee, confirmed that a fight had broken out.

“It was about a statutory instrument that gives a mandate to the electoral commission to make regulations, and our colleagues refused to follow procedures of parliament and they decided to misbehave,” he said.

“The speaker was left with no alternative… We had to call the police to continue our business of the day.”

Following the fight, which broke out around 1100 GMT and had quieted down by the afternoon, some members of parliament were thrown out of the chamber by security, a local journalist who was present told AFP.

The June vote will see President Julius Bio, who was first elected in 2018, contest a second term in office.

Recalled last week, lawmakers passed legislation to introduce a gender quota in all elected and appointed positions ahead of next year’s election, which had been a major campaign promise by the president in 2018.