Understanding Parliament

Understanding Parliament

IMPORTANT FACTS AND PROCESSES YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PARLIAMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

Overview

Parliament of Sierra Leone is the legislative arm of Government that makes provision for elected Members to represent the voices of their electorates, to make Laws, ratify treatises and policies, budget allocation and oversight scrutiny for the wellbeing of the people of Sierra Leone as stipulated in Section 73 subsection 1-3 and Part VI respectively from the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.

Members of Parliament (MP’s) comprises of directly and indirectly elected representatives who meet to debate, amend and pass laws for the good governance of the country, The Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic has a composition of 149 Members.

Each of the country’s fourteen districts is represented by Paramount chiefs from these 14 administrative districts whilst 135 members are directly elected concurrently through the Proportional Representation system in the 2023 multi-tier elections.

The administration of the Parliament of Sierra Leone is headed by the Clerk of Parliament, assisted by a Deputy Clerk, the Director General and 14 heads of department that are responsible to provide technical, administrative support and advisory services to enable Members of Parliament effectively and efficiently execute their constitutional mandate (The Parliament Act, 2023. Part IV, Section 22).

The total staff strength as at June, 2023 is 388 fulltime workers which are divided into three categories:
1. Senior Level Management: 31
2. Middle Level Management: 98 and
3. Supporting/Junior Staff: 259

Parliament has two buildings which are used by Members and staff for parliamentary functions and activities. The main building has the Chamber; where the Speaker and Members meet to transact the business of the House by deliberations and meetings. It also hosts offices for the Parliamentary Service Commission and Parliament Leadership.
The most important place in the Parliament Building is the Chamber, commonly known as ‘The Well of Parliament’, it’s like a deep water well shape with two stairs/galleries and the bottom is referred to as the chamber where the Businesses of the House are transacted, that has sitting positions for 149 Members and the main seat for the umpire of the plenary deliberation known as the Speaker of the House, followed by the Chamber Clerks.

The Administrative building has offices that are occupied by a variety of functionaries, including Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen of Committees, Consultants, Directors and Committee Clerks; it boasts a conference hall to host workshops, meetings and seminars.

These two buildings are used concurrently to process and provide information that is use to transact the business of the House for one hundred and twenty days in a year, by regularly meetings on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays as stated in the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and the Revised Standing Orders, 2006.

Mandate

The constitutional mandate of the Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone is broadly described under Section 73(3) and Part VI of the 1991 Constitution which is:
1. Representation
2. Legislative/Law Making
3. Oversight of the Executive arm of Government
4. Approval and Scrutiny of Budget Allocations

Vision

An independent and autonomous state institution providing effective legislative and representative support through MPs to the people of Sierra Leone

Mission

Making government work for the people, by giving a voice to the voiceless through law making, transparency, accountability and equitable distribution of resources

Core Values

The Vision and Mission of the Parliament of Sierra Leone are anchored on several core values that guide Parliament as an institution as well as every single Member of Parliament. The Core Values of the Parliament of Sierra Leone are:

Accountability: Parliament will strive to act in a fair and equitable manner, ensuring that the needs of citizens are addressed.

Inclusiveness: Parliament will strive to take into account all shades of opinion in every decision the House makes.

Gender Mainstreaming: Parliament will recognize and value the diversity between men and women in legislation and policy.

Transparency: Parliament will act openly and make all its activities and decisions accessible to citizens.

Integrity: Parliament will be guided by high ethical and moral standards in the discharge of its duties.

Impartiality: Parliament will be objective at all times and guided by the interests of all citizens.

Professionalism: Parliament will strive to achieve the highest level of skill and competence in discharging its duties.

Respect: Parliament will value the views and opinions of all citizens at all times.

The Strategic Goals for 2021 - 2025

The 2021-2025 Strategic Plan builds on the previous Strategic Plan (2016-2019). The current plans are anchored on four (4) strategic goals following on the achievements of the last few years and are intended to shape the long-term development of Parliament. The goals and the corresponding strategic objectives have been chosen in view of the current trajectory of the Parliament of Sierra Leone in comparison to other parliaments. The goals are framed with the aim of helping Parliament achieve its vision of being a beacon of democracy and good governance for the people of Sierra Leone. The goals are:

1. Building the Institutional Capacity of Parliament;
2. Strengthening Lawmaking;
3. Strengthening Oversight; and
4. Strengthen Representation and Relationships with Citizens

These goals are informed by the need to establish an efficient and effective institution that is positioned to help Parliament and its Members achieve their triple functions of lawmaking, oversight and representation.


Parliament Election Chronicles since 1973 to 2018

First Parliament of the First Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 15th May, 1973

Elections were held to renew all the Members of Parliament, after their terms of office had been extended by one year and the previous elections had taken place in March 1967.

On the 18th April, 1973, His Excellency President Siaka Probyn Stevens dissolved Parliament and a state of emergency was declared throughout the country the next day in view of the upcoming electoral campaign. Nomination day was set for April 25. The rather troubled campaign was marked by accusations of intimidation of candidates filing their nomination papers.

The Sierra Leone People's Party, which had held 11 seats in the previous Parliament and figured as the major Opposition, altogether boycotted the election. As a result of the elections - the first since Sierra Leone became a republic in April 1971 - the All People's Congress (APC) emerged de-facto as the country's sole party. It captured 84 of the 85 seats at stake, with the remaining seat taken by an Independent. The 12 Paramount Chiefs themselves traditionally join the Government.

Composition of the First Parliament of the First Republic
Political Parties Membership
All Peoples Congress (APC) 84
Independents 1
Paramount Chiefs 12
Total 97
Members of Parliament according to Age Group
Range Total
30-40 25
40-50 50
50-60 15
60-70 7
Grand Total 97
Gender Representation
Gender Membership
Men 96
Women 1
Total 97
Second Parliament of the First Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 6th May, 1977

Parliamentary elections were held in Sierra Leone on 6 May 1977. They were the last multi-party elections held in the country until 1996.

Elections were called ahead of schedule by President Siaka Stevens following his declaration of a state of emergency after student riots earlier in the year.

In the election itself, only 41 of the directly elected and one of the indirectly elected paramount chief seats were contested (in the remaining 36 directly elected and 11 indirectly elected seats, the All People's Congress was the only party with a candidate). In a campaign marred by violence, elections in eight constituencies were not held on the day of the election, but were contested at a later date.

For the first time, there were also three presidential appointees in the parliament.

The following year, a referendum approved a new constitution that made the country a one-party state with the APC as the sole legal party. Elections were held under this system in 1982, 1985 and 1986. Another referendum in 1991 returned the country to multi-party politics, and the next pluriform elections were held in 1996.

Composition of the Second Parliament of the First Republic, 6 May, 1977
Political Parties Membership
All Peoples Congress (APC) 70
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 15
Democratic National Party (DNP) -
Independents -1
Presidential Appointees 3
Total 100
Third Parliament of the First Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 1st May, 1982

Parliamentary elections were held in Sierra Leone on 1 May 1982. They were the first elections since the country had become a one-party state under the 1978 constitution, with the All People's Congress being the sole legal party.

Following an amendment to the constitution in 1981, prior to the election, primaries were held to choose up to three candidates (all selected by the APC) to stand in each of the 85 constituencies,  As a result, elections in 66 of the 85 constituencies were contested (13 of the 19 seats left uncontested were held by cabinet ministers).

The elections were marred by violence in which up to 50 people died. The APC used the army to crush opposition SLPP supporters in what became known as the "Ndogboyosoi [bush devil] war"

In addition to the 85 elected seats, the parliament consisted of 12 paramount chiefs elected through tribal councils and 7 MP's appointed by the presidentSiaka Stevens.

The results in 13 constituencies were cancelled due to "serious irregularities". By-elections took place on June 4.

40 sitting MP's and two ministers lost their seats, whilst a woman was elected to parliament in a constituency seat for the first time

Composition of the Third Parliament of the First Republic, 1 May, 1982
Political Parties Membership
All Peoples Congress (APC) 85
Paramount Chiefs 12
Presidential Appointees 7
Total 104
Fourth Parliament of the First Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 29th & 30th May, 1986.

Parliamentary elections were held in Sierra Leone on 29 and 30 May 1986. As the country was a one-party state at the time, the All People's Congress was the only party allowed to run. They were the last elections held under the 1978 constitution, as a 1991 referendum returned the country to multi-party politics.

The elections were held ahead of schedule following the early dissolution of parliament. This was reportedly done in order to "choose a Parliament that would reinforce the "new order" of economic reform and public probity advocated by the new President", Joseph Saidu Momoh.

Since the 1982 elections the parliament had been enlarged from 104 to 127 members, with an additional 20 elected MP's and a further three presidential appointees, The APC nominated 335 candidates to contest the elections, which had been due to be held on 15 and 16 May, There were around 2 million registered voters.

Composition of the Fourth Parliament of the First Republic, 29 May, 1986
Political Parties Membership
All Peoples Congress (APC) 105
Paramount Chiefs 12
Presidential Appointees 10
Total 127
First Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 26th & 27th February, 1996. 

General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 26 and 27 February 1996 to elect a President and Members of Parliament. A second round of voting in the presidential election was held on 15 March. It was the first election since multi-party politics had been reintroduced following a referendum on a new constitution in 1991, and the first multi-party election held in the country since 1977.

The parliamentary elections were won by the  Sierra Leone People's Party, which returned to power after a 29-year absence. The All People's Congress, which had governed from 1968 to 1992 (from 1978 to 1991 as the sole legally permitted party) finished fourth. The presidential election was won by the SLPP's candidate, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. However, he was deposed by a coup led by Johnny Paul Koroma on 25 May 1997. On 10 March 1998 Kabbah was returned to power by Nigerian-led ECOWAS forces.

The SLPP won the most seats in the elections, but fell well short of a majority, with only 27 of the 68 elected seats.

Composition of the First Parliament of the Second Republic, 26 February, 1996
Political Parties Membership
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 27
United National People’s Party (UNPP) 17
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 12
All Peoples Congress (APC) 5
National Unity Party (NUP) 4
Democratic Centre Party (DCP) 3
Paramount Chiefs 12
Total 80
Gender Representation
Men 75
Women 5
Second Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 14 May, 2002

For the first time since the civil war was declared officially over in January 2002, elections were held for all seats in Parliament. General elections had previously been held in February 1996.

Five months after the civil war was officially declared over, more than 2 million voters went to the polls on 14 May 2002 to elect a new President of the country and the 112 directly elected members of Parliament.

Although the electoral campaign was quite peaceful, there was a clash three days before the polling day between supporters of the former rebel group and now a political party, the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) and the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). After this event, leaders of seven political parties and the National Electoral Commission signed a joint statement condemning the violent clashes and urging supporters of political parties "to refrain from any acts or threats of violence and intimidation."

Final figures released by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) showed that 2,329,161 persons were registered to vote in the elections, including some returned refugees who were eligible for late registration. Nineteen parties were registered by the NEC, but only ten contested the parliamentary elections.

Election officials noted some irregularities but no violence on the polling day. The most serious breach reported was one presiding officer at one polling station apparently thumb-printing an untold number of ballot papers. International observers also declared that there had been some irregularities, including under-age voting and possible double-voting. One universal complaint, by international and local observers, was that more civic voter education was needed. Despite a poster campaign, sponsored by the United Nations and other organizations, many voters still did not know how to fill in their ballot papers. But all agreed that the polls were by far the most peaceful in the country since independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Sierra Leone praised the organization of the election and the way people had behaved.

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah won the presidential election, triumphing as the man who brought peace to the country after a decade of civil war.

In Parliament, 83 of the 112 seats at stake went to the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), giving it an absolute majority. The All People’s Congress (APC) took 27 seats in the North and the West districts of the country, while the Peace and Liberation Party took the two remaining seats. None of the other seven political parties, including the former rebels of the Revolutionary United Front, reached the 12.5 percent threshold needed in any electoral district to enter Parliament.

On 10 June 2002, the twelve traditional leaders from the twelve districts were elected to seats in Parliament reserved for paramount chiefs.

On 25 June 2002, Parliament held its first sitting and re-elected Hon. Justice Edmond Kadoni Cowan as its Speaker.

Composition of the Second Parliament of the Second Republic, 14 May, 2002
Political Parties Membership
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 83
All Peoples Congress (APC) 27
Peace and Liberation Party (PLP) 2
Paramount Chiefs 12
Total 124
Gender Representation
Men 106
Women 18
Percentage 14 %
Third Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 11 August, 2007

General elections were held in Sierra Leone on the 11th August 2007, Seven candidates competed in the first round of the presidential election; no candidate received the necessary 55% of the vote to win in the first round, and a second round was held between the top two candidates, Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC) and Solomon Berewa of the Sierra Leone People's Party(SLPP), on 8 September. According to official results, Koroma won the election with 54.6% of the vote.

566 candidates stood in the Parliamentary election, in which 112 seats, out of a total of 124, were at stake. Voting for seats in parliament were done on a first-past-the-post constituency basis, rather than the system of proportional representation used previously.

The 124 Members of Parliament were sworn in on September 25. Hon. Justice Abel Stronge was elected as Speaker and the APC's Victor Chukuma Johnson was elected as Deputy Speaker. Edward Turay was chosen as Leader of the Majority Party, and Momoh Pujeh was chosen as Leader of the Minority Party.

Composition of the Third Parliament of the Second Republic, 11 August, 2007
Political Parties Membership
All Peoples Congress (APC) 59
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 43
Peoples Movement for Democratic Change 10
Paramount Chiefs 12
Total 124
Gender Representation
Men 108
Women 16
Percentage 12.90%
Fourth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 17 November, 2012

General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 17 November 2012, the result was a victory for incumbent President Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC), who received 58.7% of the vote.

Composition of the Fourth Parliament of the Second Republic as at 7th December, 2012
Political Parties Membership
All Peoples Congress (APC) 70
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 42
Paramount Chiefs (12-Districts) 12
Total 124
Gender Representation
Men 106
Women 15
Percentage 12.40%
Number of Women
All Peoples Congress 8
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 7
Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 7th March, 2018
COMPOSITION OF THE FIFTH PARLIAMENT AS AT 11th FEBRUARY, 2020
Political Parties Number of Seats Won
All People's Congress (APC) 58
Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) 58
Coalition for Change (C4C) 8
National Grand Coalition (NGC) 4
Independents 3
Paramount Chiefs(14-Districts) (PCMP) 14
Vacant 1 Constituency 110
Total 146
Women Representation
All Peoples Congress 7
Sierra Leone Peoples Party 5
Coalition for Change 1
Independent 1
Paramount Chiefs 2
Total 17
Percentage 11%
Members with Visible Disability
All Peoples Congress (APC) 1
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 0
Coalition For Change (C4C) 2
National Grand Coalition (NGC) 0
Independents Members 0
Paramount Chiefs (PCMP) 0
Total 3
Profile of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic as at 10th June, 2018.

Age Profile

The oldest MP is 83 years and the youngest is 29 years. The average age of the new Parliament is 48 years. This is below the average age of MP's across the world which stands at 53 years. See table below on age dis-aggregation;

Age bracket Total MP's %
18-35 11 8%
36-55 103 70%
56 above 32 22%

Innings
The new Parliament has limited experience as a result of the high attrition rate. Out of the 146 MP's (Elected & Paramount Chief Representatives), 33[1](23%) have either come for the second or third term while 113 (77%) are new comers. The table below shows innings by political parties and Paramount Chiefs regarding experience in Parliament:

Party Male Female Total %
SLPP 8 12 10 30%
APC 17 1 18 55%
Paramount Chief 4 0 4 12%
Independent 1 0 1 3%
Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Elections conducted on the 24th June, 2023

General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 24th June 2023, the result was a victory for incumbent President Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People's (SLPP), who received 56.17% of the vote.

The voting for seats in parliament were done on a  proportional representation,  rather than the system of  first-past-the-post, constituency basis  used previously

COMPOSITION OF THE SIXTH PARLIAMENT AS AT 13th JULY, 2023
Political Parties Number of Seats Won
All People's Congress (APC) 54
Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) 81
Paramount Chiefs(14-Districts) (PCMP) 14
Total 149
Women Representation
All Peoples Congress 16
Sierra Leone People's Party 25
Paramount Chiefs 1
Total 42
Percentage 28.19%
Members with Visible Disability
All Peoples Congress (APC) xx
Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) xx
Paramount Chiefs (PCMP) 0
Total xx
Profile of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic as at 13th July, 2023.

Age Profile

The oldest MP is xx years and the youngest is xx years. The average age of the new Parliament is xx years. This is below the average age of MP's across the world which stands at 53 years. See table below on age dis-aggregation;

Age bracket Total MP's %
18-35 awaiting xx%
36-55 awaiting 70%
56 above awaiting xx%

Innings
The new Parliament has limited experience as a result of the high attrition rate. Out of the 149 MP's (Elected & Paramount Chief Representatives), 33[1](23%) have either come for the second or third term while 113 (77%) are new comers. The table below shows innings by political parties and Paramount Chiefs regarding experience in Parliament:

Party Male Female Total %
SLPP awaiting awaiting awaiting xx%
APC xx xx xx% xx%
Paramount Chief xx xx xx xx%

Educational level Attained
The highest educational level of the MP's is XX (PhD) and XX MPs (XX%) have XX's. A total of XX MP's (XX%) have Master’s Degree while X (5%) have LLBs. XX MP's (XX%) have First degrees. The other XX (XX%) of MP's have Higher Certificate, Certificate and Advanced & Ordinary Level qualification. The constitutional eligibility of MP's is ‘to read and write’. All 149 MP's meet the eligibility criteria of becoming MP's. See chart below:

Procedure in the Chamber of Parliament:
Order Papers, Votes & Proceedings, Hansards, Bills, Govt. White-paper, and other relevant documents are being sent to MPs’ pigeon holes informing them about the programs for the coming sitting.

Plenary Proceedings
Parliamentary debate processions led by the Sergeant At Arms followed by the Speaker, the Clerk of Parliament and the Table Clerks
  • Prayers said by the Clerk of Parliament
  • Suspension of Standing Orders S.O. 5(2) if it has passed 10:00 am
  • Records of votes and proceedings
  • The speaker moves the motion for the adoption of votes and proceedings
  • Papers laid on the Table,
  • Motions being moved by MP's,
  • Bills laid by Ministers and moved for the first reading,
  • Questions proposed and put forward that the bill be read for the first time;
  • Motion agreed and the bill goes to the second reading,
  • The Minister proposes that the bill be read for the second time; By presenting the objects and reasons to the House, he/she moves its Second Reading,
  • MP's on both sides of the aisle now deliberate on the bill effectively,
  • Suspension of standing orders S.O. 5(2) for proceedings to continue during lunch time,
  • The minister responds to the issues raised by MP's and moves again that the bill be read the second time,
  • A motion moved on S.O. 51(1), Committal of the bill to the Legislative Committee, Question put and agreed for bill to be committed to the legislative committee,
  • MP's stand on S.O 23, personal explanations on issues affecting the state such as roads, electricity, security, water etc., and important personal issues.
  • Announcements by the Table Clerks,
  • The Speaker adjourns the House to another date, sometimes ‘Sine Die’.
Summary on How a Bill Becomes Law

The Minister initiating the bill sends it to Law Officers Department for legal drafting preparations etc.

After drafting from Law Officers Department, the Minister submits the drafted bill at Cabinet for their input and approval

The draft bill is submitted to the Law Officers Department again for possible additional input from Cabinet

The draft bill is submitted to the Government Printer for gazetting on at least two consecutive dates/times for a minimum period of nine days and made available for public purchase.

The Minister then arrange with Parliament for a Pre-Legislative briefing. This is to enable the Minister discuss the details of the bill and its entirety with MP's before the bill is formally submitted for legislative proceedings.

The bill will be read the first time by the Minister, in the case of a Government Bill or by a private Member, in the case of a Private Member’s Bill. At this stage, only the title and general principle of the Bill are read.

After this stage the Bill is read the second time. The merits of the Bill are discussed in detail and debate commences.

Committee stage: The Bill will be examined clause by clause and technical and legal aspects reviewed, as they relate to existing legislations. The Committee of the Whole House reports to Parliament.

The Minister commits the bill to the third stage/reading and recommends that the bill be read the third time and passed into law.

After the bill has been unanimously passed by Parliament it is further taken to the Law Officers Department to effect any necessary amendments made by Parliament and sent to the Government Printer for draft assent copy.

The Clerk of Parliament certifies the assent copy and sends it to the President for his assent

The bill then becomes law, as an Act of Parliament, with the signature of the President

Thereafter, the Clerk of Parliament will forward the assent copy to the Government Printer for gazette publication. This publication will be available for sale at the Government Bookshop.

Procedures for the First Sitting of Parliament

Main Activities in Summary

Oath Taking of Elected Members of Parliament administered by the Clerk of Parliament.

Section 83 of the Constitution Act No. 6 1991 provides that "Every Member of Parliament shall, before taking his seat in Parliament, take and subscribe before Parliament the oath as set out in the Third Schedule"

Election of the Speaker of Parliament

Qualifications as specified in the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2013

Oath Taking of the Speaker of Parliament; As given in the Third Schedule of the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Act No.6 of 1991)

Election of the Deputy Speaker; As amended by the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act 2013

Oath Taking of the Deputy Speaker of Parliament

Felicitations to Hon. Speaker & Hon. Deputy Speaker

Chamber Procedure on the First Sitting Mace Covered.

Officer-in-charge – Clerk of Parliament

The newly elected Members of Parliament take their seats in the Chamber of Parliament

The Clerk of Parliament offers Prayers

The Clerk brief Members of Parliament on the procedures for the Oath taking of elected Members.

Members of Parliament will take and subscribe to the Oath of Office as given in the Third Schedule Constitution (Act No. 6 of 1991)

This may be done in groups of 10 using Bible and Quran for both Muslims and Christians.

Next item on the Agenda will be the Election of the Speaker.

Procedures for the Speakership Election (Speaker and Deputy Speaker)

Election of Speaker is given under Section 79 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone

Section 79 was amended in 2013 by the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2013 which now reads as follows:

79(1) The Speaker of Parliament shall be elected by the Members of Parliament from among persons who are-

(a) Members of Parliament and who had served as such for not less than five years; (b)Qualified to be Members of Parliament and who had served as such for not less than ten years; & who are not less than 40 years.

79 (2) The Speaker shall be elected by a resolution in favour of which there are cast the votes of not less than two-thirds of the Members of Parliament:

Provided that if three successive resolutions proposing the election of a Speaker fail to receive the votes of two-third of the Members of Parliament , the Speaker shall be elected by a resolution passed by a simple majority of all the Members of Parliament.
Election Process
  • Call for nominations by the Clerk of Parliament
  • Closure of nominations by Clerk of Parliament
  • Voting
  • Counting
  • Declaration
Nomination Process
  • The Clerk of Parliament calls for Nomination
  • A Member of Parliament nominates a candidate for the position of Speaker and will be seconded by a Member of Parliament based on the qualification specified. Any number of nominations may be made provided they are qualified.
  • Closure of Nomination
  • In the absence of any other nomination the Clerk will call upon a Member to move for the closure of nomination which is seconded by a, Member.
  • The Clerk will list the qualification as given in the constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act 2013).
  • The Table Clerk will note the names of Nominees and list them down and give them to the Clerk of Parliament
  • Question put and agreed to that Nomination be closed.
  • CLERK OF PARLIAMENT DECLARES NOMINATION CLOSED
VOTING

VOTING is done as per Standing Order 8:

  • Blank ballot paper will be given to MPs by the Table Clerks.
  • Voting is done by secret ballot with words written (Aye – Yes) and (Nay – No)
  • Clerk will explain the Voting process to Members and explain the meaning of ticking the box AYE – Meaning YES and NAY – Meaning No to select or reject a candidate.
  • The Clerk of Parliament proposes the question:
    Hon Members the question is that the Hon. or Mr.………do take the Chair as Speaker of Parliament, if more than one person is so proposed the Clerk shall propose the question that the first person proposed do take the Chair of the House as Speaker.
  • Debate may be allowed under Standing Order 8 (4) for those who indicate their desire to speak.
  • The Clerk shall then call the names of Members in Alphabetical order and each, who so desire shall as his name is called, come to the table and drop his ballot paper into a glass jar in such manner as not to disclose how he is voting.
  • When all Members have dropped their ballots papers into the glass jar, the Clerk assisted by the Clerks at-the-Table shall examine the ballot papers and report the result to the House.
  • If the vote of less than 2/3 of the Members of Parliament are cast in favour of any question put to the House, the Clerk shall declare that that question has not been agreed to.
  • The Clerk shall then propose the same question until one such person is declared elected by the Clerk.
  • If three successive resolutions proposing the election of a Speaker fail to receive the votes of two thirds of all the Members of Parliament the Speaker shall be elected by a resolution passed by a simple majority of all the Members of Parliament, in a contest, (in the case of three candidates in the three previously negative resolutions), between the two candidates who received the highest and the next highest number of votes in the previous ballots.
  • If this question is not agreed to, the Clerk shall forthwith adjourn Parliament without question put and another election to the Speakership with new candidate shall be restarted in another Sitting.
  • If only one candidate is nominated voting shall take place by secret ballot in order to obtain the 2/3 majority.
  • STANDING ORDER (9) AND THE CONSTITUTION OF SIERRA LEONE (AMENDMENT) ACT 2013 (SECTION 80 AMENDED)
Election of Deputy Speaker

The election of a Deputy Speaker shall be conducted in a similar manner to the election of a Speaker, save that Mr. Speaker shall preside, and that any motion for the election of the Deputy Speaker shall be declared to have been agreed to, if it is supported by the majority of Members present and voting.

The Budget Process

Introduction
Budget in democratic governance, refers to the statement on the Government’s fiscal and economic policy measures relating to its annual revenue and expenditure decisions. In Sierra Leone, the legal credence to the budget process is provided in Section 110 to 119 of the 1991 Constitution, Parliamentary Standing Orders 63 to 69, the Government Budget and Accountability Act 2005. Like in most other countries, there are generally four stages of the budget process in Sierra Leone: preparation, approval, implementation and evaluation. Sierra Leone Parliament is mainly involved in the approval stage and to a lesser extent in the evaluation, while those of preparation and implementation mainly rest with the executive.

Budget Preparation
The budget preparation starts with the issuance of a Circular (Budget Call Circular) to all Vote Controllers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by the Financial Secretary of the Ministry of Finance at around June each year, requesting them to submit the financial proposals to the Budget Bureau no later than end of August. The Circular outlines the macroeconomic and policy guidelines of the Government and indicates ceilings to the Heads of Expenditure of the MDAs which they are encouraged not to exceed. This is followed by strategic planning wherein Vote Controllers and Management Teams of the MDAs prepare planned activities, objectives and expected outcomes for the ensuing financial year relating to Heads of Expenditure, especially for development programmes.

Then the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Technical Committee sits together with the MDAs to arrange their budgeted programmes and activities in line with the MTEF process (quarterly allocation per annum of a three year budget) ensuring that they budget for incomplete projects from the previous year(s) or that medium term projects are evenly projected into the following year(s). This is followed by public discussions on the budget proposals. Although the process at this stage is still mainly the business of the Executive, sometimes some Members of Parliament (MPs) and Councilors are invited by the Budget Bureau and the MDAs to participate in public discussions on their budget proposals to get views on the appropriateness or otherwise of their needs and selected priorities. The budget figures are then confirmed by the MDAs after budget hearings and submitted to the Budget Bureau as budget estimates for the Appropriation Bill for that financial year.

Budget Approval/Legislative Process
Step 1: Budget Speech/First Reading: The presentation of the Budget by the Government in Parliament is one of the most closely followed events in any Parliament. This is generally followed by an extensive debate which attracts wide public attention. The Minister delivers the Budget Speech (which is the First Reading) and lays the estimates on the Table of the House as a Bill, being "an Act to provide services for Sierra Leone for the Financial Year". Thereafter, the Appropriation Bill journeys through the legislative process. The Appropriation Bill shall be put down for Second Reading (S.O. 63/3) for not less than two clear days.

Step 2: The Second Reading: After the First Reading (which comes in the form of a Budget Speech), five days are allotted for the Second Reading with the debate limited to the financial and economic state of the country and general principles of Government policy and administration as indicated by the Bill and its estimates. On the last day of the five allotted days at 14:30 the proceedings of the Second Reading are brought to an end with the necessary question put by the Speaker; unless if the debate comes to an end earlier.

Step 3: Committee of Supply: At the end of the Second Reading, the Bill is committed to the Committee of the Whole House which for the Appropriation Bill is called the Committee of Supply (S.O. 64/1 &2). The Finance Committee in Parliament takes the lead in organizing the process of the Committee of Supply by dividing Members into Sub Appropriation Committees (these are Sub Committees of the Committee of Supply or of the Whole House), fixing timelines for ensuing meetings and summoning Vote Controllers of MDAs to defend their Heads of Expenditure, taking into account expenditures for programmes and activities for the previous Financial Year (FY) and those for the current FY. This exercise takes into consideration the policies underlying the estimates, priorities, effective and efficient use of both human and financial resources, the constraints of the MDAs, the adequacy or inadequacy of these resources and report to the Committee of the Whole House.

Step 4: Third Reading/Enactment: After the Sub Appropriation Committees report to the House and where there is no notice of amendments, a motion for the Third reading is made by the Minister in charge which is decided without debate.

Budget Implementation
Budget implementation or execution is done under the hand of the Financial Secretary and supervision of the Budget Bureau and Accountant-Generals’ Department of the Ministry of Finance. The Budget Bureau prepares the quarterly budgetary allocations which are forwarded to the Accountant-Generals’ Department under the hand of the Financial Secretary as directives to allow the processing of payment vouchers to MDAs up to the amounts allocated. The MDAs on their part raise vouchers for their activities and programmes of expenditure to access and utilize their quarterly allocations. The PET forms are in line with the MTEF and Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) to ensure prudent financial management that monies are spent for the activities for which allocations are made.

Sub Appropriation Procedures and its Financial Provisions
At the end of the Fiscal year, the Minister of Finance will lay on the table of Parliament the Budget Speech, Profile, Financial Strategy Statement and the Appropriation Bill for the First Reading.

After that, it shall be put forward for the Second Reading with a 5 allotted days for continuous debate on the Second Reading.

The Appropriation Bill and the Allocated budget estimates given to MDA's will be sent to the Committee of Supply to carefully scrutinize the budget allocated to every MDA's.

An open-ended questionnaire is sent out to all MDA's in line with S.O. 66(1).

Vote Controllers are requested to respond to questions relating to their budgetary allocations, state their challenges and provide a comprehensive summation of how they have been carrying out their mandates.

After the exercises the Minister will again move the motion for the Appropriation Bill to be Read the Third time. It will then be passed into law for government to undertake capital and recurrent expenditure.

The Financial Provisions (Excerpts from 1991 Constitution and the Standing Orders, Revised 2006)
63. Presentation, first Reading and Second Reading of Appropriation Bill
  1. There shall be submitted to Parliament by the Minister of Finance before the beginning of the fiscal year to which it refers, a budget which shall include the documents delineated in subsection 23 of the government Budgeting and Accountability Act, (Act No. 3 of 2005).
  2. All proceedings upon the Appropriation Bill subsequent to its first reading, which takes the form of the Budget speech, shall be subject to the provisions of the remaining paragraphs of this Order and of the next five succeeding Orders, (i.e. Standing Orders).
  3. After the Bill has been read the first time, it shall be put down for Second Reading not less than two clear days thereafter and five days shall be allotted for the Second Reading of the Bill. The debate shall be confined to the financial and economic state of Sierra Leone an the general principles of Government policy and administration as indicated by the Bill and its Estimates. At 14.30 hours on the last day, unless the debate is concluded earlier, the speaker shall put any question necessary to bring the proceedings on second reading to a conclusion.
  4. For the purpose of this Order and of S.O. No. 65 (allotment of Time in Committee of Supply) an allotted day shall be any day on which the consideration of the appropriation bill, whether by the House or in the Committee of Supply, stands as the first Public Business for that day, and on such a day no other Public Business may be taken.
64. Committee of Supply
  1. There shall be a Committee of the whole House to be called the Committee of Supply. The deliberations of the committee shall be in public.
  2. Without prejudice to the mandate of the Finance Committee in these Orders, the Estimates shall upon presentation to the House stand referred to the Committee of Supply and the Appropriation Bill upon being read a second time, shall stand committed to that Committee.
  3. To enhance the effectiveness of the scrutiny of Heads of Expenditure by the whole House, the Committee of Supply shall, pursuant to subsection (6) of Section 112 of the Constitution, incorporate a scrutiny by a number of Appropriation Subcommittees formed out of organizing the Membership of Parliament into groups.
65. Allotment of time in Committee of Supply
  1. There shall be allotted a maximum of five days for discussion of the Appropriation Bill in Committee of supply.
    Provided that if the question on the Second Reading of the Bill was agreed to on a day earlier than the last day allotted for the debate on Second Reading, the day or days thus saved may be added to the days allotted under this paragraph. And the work of the appropriation subcommittees shall be outside this time-frame.
  2. Upon any day allotted under paragraph (1) of this Order, no dilatory motion shall be moved, except by a Minister or the Majority Party Leader of the House, upon any proceedings on the Appropriation Bill and such proceedings shall not be interrupted or postponed under any Order.
  3. Mr. Speaker may name the hour upon any day allotted under paragraph (1) of this Order at which proceedings upon any Head of Expenditure in the Schedules to the Bill, or any Schedule or on the clauses of the Bill, shall be concluded. If in the case of any Head or Schedule or of the clauses the hour so named is reached before the business concerned is disposed of, the Chairman shall put forthwith any question necessary to dispose of that business
    Provided that if in the case of any Head or Schedule the proceedings thereon are concluded before the hour named, the next business may be
66. Procedure in Committee of Supply
  1. Preliminary to the deliberations of the whole House in committee, the Appropriation Subcommittees shall, working together with vote Controllers and their Accountants, examine a series of Heads of Expenditure allocated to them by the finance Committee. This exercise shall include consideration of the policies underlying the Estimates, their structures of priorities, efficient and effective use of both human and financial resources, the constraints of the organizations, the adequacy or otherwise of the financial allocations, and report to the whole House in Committee of Supply.
  2. On the consideration of the Appropriation Bill in Committee of Supply, the clauses of the Bill shall stand postponed until after consideration of the Schedule or Schedules, which shall be initiated by the appropriation Subcommittee reports on them.
  3. On consideration of the Schedules, each Head of Expenditure shall be considered with the appropriate Estimates, and any reference in these Orders to a sub-head or an item means a sub-head or an item in the Estimates of the Head then under discussion.
  4. On the consideration of a Schedule, the Clerk of Parliament shall call the title of each Head of Expenditure in turn and the Chairman, following the motion of the Minister in Charge, shall propose he question "That the sum of Le x For Head y stand part of the Schedule". And unless an amendment is proposed under the provisions of the next succeeding Order, a debate may take place on that question. Any such debate shall be confined to the policy of the service for which the money is to be provided and shall not deal with the details of any item or subhead but may refer to the details or revenue or funds for which that service is responsible. At the conclusion of the debate on a Schedule or a group of Schedules, as the case may be, the Chairman shall forthwith put the question.
  5. When all the Heads in a Schedule have been disposed of, the Chairman shall put forthwith without amendment or debate, the question "that the Schedule (as amended) stands part of the Bill."
  6. When the Schedule has been disposed of, the Chairman shall call successively, each clause of the Bill and shall forthwith propose the question "that the clause stand part of the Bill" and, unless a consequential amendment is required to be moved, that question shall be disposed of without amendment or debate.
  7. No amendment may be moved to any clause except any amendment consequential on an alteration in the total sum appropriated by any Head in the Schedule. Any such consequential amendment shall be moved by a Minister only, and may be moved without notice and the question thereon shall be put forthwith without amendment or debate. When the question on the last of any such amendments to a clause has been decided, the Chairman shall forthwith put the question "that the clause as amended stand part of the Bill" and that question shall then be decided without amendment or debate.
  8. When the question upon every clause of the Bill has been decided, the House shall resume without question put, the Minister in charge shall report the Bill (or the Bill as amended) to the House, and following the motion that the Bill be read the third time and passed into law, the speaker shall forthwith put the question.
67. Amendments to Heads of Estimates in Committee of Supply
  1. No amendment shall be moved in the Committee of Supply under this Order, unless one clear day’s notice has been given of it and it has been published in the Notice Paper.
  2. An amendment to any Head of Expenditure to increase the sum allotted thereto whether in respect of any item or sub-head or of the Head itself, may only be moved by a Minister who shall signify to the Committee the increase in accordance with paragraph (3) of S.O. No. 52 (functions of Committees on Bills). Every such amendment shall take the form of a motion "That Head …………….. be increased by Le………… in respect of sub-head ……………. item ………..".
  3. An amendment to increase a Head whether in respect of any item or sub-head or of the Head itself shall take precedence over an amendment to reduce the Head in the same respect, and if it is carried, no amendment to reduce the Head in that respect shall be called.
  4. An amendment to any Head of Expenditure to reduce the sum allotted thereto in respect of any item therein may be moved by any Member and shall take the form of a motion "That Head ……………….. be reduced by Le…………….. in respect of or by leaving out sub-head …………… item ………….".
  5. An amendment to reduce a Head in respect of any sub-head or by leaving out a sub-head shall only be in order if the sub-head is not itemized.
  6. An amendment to reduce a Head without reference to a sub-head therein shall only be in order if the Head is not divided into sub-heads.
  7. An amendment to leave out a functional Head shall not be in order and shall not be placed on the Order Paper.
  8. In the case of each Head, amendments in respect of items or sub-heads in that Head shall be placed upon the Order Paper and considered in the order in which the items or sub-heads to which they refer, stand in the Head in the Estimates.
  9. When notice has been given of two or more amendments to reduce the same item, sub-head or Head, they shall be placed upon the Order Paper and considered in the order of the magnitude of the reductions proposed, the amendment proposing the largest reduction being placed first in each case.
  10. Debate on every amendment shall be confined to the item, sub-head or Head to which the amendment refers, and after an amendment to an item or sub-head has been disposed of, no amendment or debate on a previous item or sub-head or that Head shall be permitted.
  11. When all amendments standing on the Notice Paper in respect of any particular Head of Expenditure have been disposed of, the Chairman shall again propose the question "That the sum of Le……….. for Head ………….. stand part of the Schedule", or shall propose the amended question "That the increased/reduced sum of Le…………. for Head ………… stand part of the Schedule", as the case may require. The debate on any such question shall be subject to the same limitations as apply to a debate arising under paragraph (4) of S.O. No. 66 (Procedure in Committee of Supply).
68. Third reading of Appropriation Bill

So soon as the Appropriation bill has been reported to the House, a motion for the Third Reading shall be made by the Minister in Charge. Such motion is not required to be seconded, and shall be decided without amendment or debate.

69. Supplementary Appropriation Bills
  1. Where, in respect of any financial year, it is found that the amount of moneys appropriated by the Appropriation Act for any purpose is insufficient or that the need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose which no amount of moneys has been appropriated by that Act, a supplementary estimate showing the sum of money required shall be laid before Parliament.
  2. Where in respect of any financial year, a supplementary estimate has been approved by Parliament in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph (1) of this Order, a Supplementary Appropriation Bill shall be introduced in Parliament in the financial year next following the financial year to which the estimates relate, providing for the appropriation of the sums so approved for the purposes specified in that estimate.
  3. the debate on the Second Reading of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill shall be strictly confined to the matters for which additional expenditure has been provided, and when the question thereon has been agreed to, the Bill shall not be committed, unless the House on Motion so commits for discussion that Schedule, if any, to the Bill, which incorporates expenditure for which Supplementary Warrants (contingencies) have not been issued, and the Question "that the Bill be now read a third time" shall be put forthwith without amendment or debate.
  4. The Minister may cause to be prepared and laid before Parliament estimates of revenue and expenditure of Sierra Leone for periods of over one year.
PARLIAMENTARY PRAYER
Almighty God
Without whose help Labour is useless,
Without whose Light, search is vain,
We thine unworthy servants here gathered
Together in thy name,
Do most humbly beseech thee
To send down thine heavenly wisdom from above
To direct and guide us in all our deliberations
And laying aside all private interests, prejudices and partial affections,
The result of all our counsels
Maybe to the glory of thine blessed name.

SITTING PLAN FOR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN THE CHAMBER
SITTING PLAN FOR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN THE CHAMBER
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