2025 Constitutional Amendment Bill Grants Parliament Authority To Remove President and Vice-President
The 2025 Constitutional Amendment Bill championed by the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Government, proposes significant changes that would grant Parliament expanded authority to remove a sitting President or Vice-President under specified circumstances. The proposed provisions have sparked debate about executive stability, separation of powers, and the potential political implications of such authority.
Under Clause 9, the Bill amends Section 49(1) of the Constitution to empower Parliament to remove the President by a two-thirds majority resolution where the President resigns from or is expelled by the political party under which he or she was elected.
Similarly, Clause 12 amends Section 55(e) to introduce an identical mechanism for the removal of the Vice-President, should the Vice-President resign from or be expelled by the nominating political party, subject to parliamentary approval by a two-thirds majority.
The Bill also seeks to codify aspects of the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in the Alhaji Sam Sumana case, which held that the loss of party membership alone does not automatically create a vacancy in the offices of President or Vice-President. Under the proposed amendments, any such removal would only take effect following formal parliamentary action, thereby clarifying legal ambiguities exposed by the ruling.
In addition, the Bill introduces a provision allowing for the extension of a presidential term by up to twelve (12) months in exceptional circumstances, including situations where national elections cannot be conducted due to war, public emergency, or other serious national crises.
While proponents argue that the Bill addresses long-standing constitutional uncertainties, analysts caution that the proposed changes could significantly increase parliamentary influence over the executive branch. Critics warn that in a Parliament dominated by a single political party, the provisions could be used to remove a President or Vice-President during internal party disputes, even in the absence of proven misconduct.
The emergency term-extension clause has also attracted scrutiny, with calls for clear constitutional safeguards to prevent the misuse of emergency powers and the prolonged postponement of democratic elections.
The 2025 Constitutional Amendment Bill remains under active consideration in Parliament, with further debate and scrutiny expected before any of its provisions are passed into law. Stakeholders continue to call for broad consultation, strong safeguards, and consensus-building to ensure that any constitutional reforms strengthen, rather than undermine, democratic governance in Sierra Leone.
