The State Opening of the 6th Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone took place on Thursday, 3rd August 2023, but notable absentees are the Members of Parliament representing the main opposition party, All People’s Congress (APC). with the exception of Mohamed Bangura.
The session was primarily attended by members of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and Paramount Chiefs from the country’s 16 districts, and only Mohamed Bangura from the APC, who had earlier defied his party’s stance.
The absence of APC Parliamentarians is a direct result of the party’s earlier vow to boycott government and governance in protest against the election results. The disagreement stemmed from their demand for the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) to release election results by polling centers.
The recently held June multi-tier elections had caused tensions within the APC party, leading to disputes with the ECSL over the transparency and accuracy of the results. The APC’s elders had publicly announced their intention to boycott government proceedings until their demands were met.
This marks the third consecutive parliamentary session that the APC MPs have chosen to boycott since after the June 24 Multi-tier elections. As the Parliament commences its sessions for the Second Republic,
