In an effort to ascertain how the general public feels about the possibility of a political party ruling as the government of Sierra Leone for more than two terms, FORUM NEWS posed this question to members of the general public, especially those who plan on voting in 2028, and the main opposition.
‘Yes, it is possible for a party government to rule the country for more than the two terms given to sitting presidents. While the president has a two term limit set as the number of times he or she can run the country as head of state, the national constitution, however, places no such limitation on how long one party can stay in power. The answer to this would be entirely based on how the people vote and if the vote can be termed as free, fair and credible,’ answered a member of the public at the nation’s seat of power roundabout State House.
The respondent stated that there is the misconception among people in the public that it is illegal or even unconstitutional for one party to seriously want to and or consider to stay in power for more than the two terms legislated for the head of state. In the main the people consider for one party to make way for another party after being in power for more than two terms.
‘This mentality is not based on legality but on a naïve grasp of the concept of the two term limitation placed on the individual running for state president. Generally the people believe that out of fair play one party should not be in power for more than two terms. There has been talk that there would be a political or social problem should one party go for more than two terms. That is a lie; one party can run for a third term and win if we can be certain or convinced by reliable data that the election was won in a free, fair and credible manner,’ the concerned citizen added.
In southern Africa, the nation of Botswana recently saw a shift in political power after the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) that had ruled the country for close to six decades after independence in 1966 lost to the coalition now headed by President Duma Boko. However, while the same party stayed in power for close to six decades, there was a change in leadership at the top after the expiration of their time in power.
‘No political party or party to a fight or contest ever goes into that contest thinking of losing. Pa Kabbah and Ernest Bai Koroma were hoping to extend their parties’ stay in power for more than their two terms as heads of state. However, it didn’t work for the SLPP of Pa Kabbah neither did it work out for EBK. Meanwhile, any political party can rule for as long as the people keep giving them the mandate. The answer to this question truly lies with the people who will decide who would lead them, no matter how many times they choose to run. While no one man or woman can do more than two terms, a party government can stay in power as long as it is based on the mandate of the people as opposed to being accused of an illegal mandate. We saw this in places like Botswana where the BDP stayed in power since 1966 to this present regime headed by a coalition government that one party can rule or stay in power as long as the person at the top continues to be changed. Therefore it is the right of any party in Sierra Leone, not just the SLPP and APC, to run the government as long as they can convince us that their wins are based on the people’s votes. In Sierra Leone, however, I don’t think that given the level of delivery on campaign promises that one party can convince the voters to re-elect them for more than two terms. In recent times only the government of Pa Ernest Bai Koroma could have made a move for a third term. We all know how that ended and what we are faced with today as a result. So, yes, the SLPP can go for as many terms as they can convince the electorates and win their votes, not by hook or crook,’ a member of the APC executive told this journalist.
Once a knowledge based society, the people of Sierra Leone are today lost in the woods when it comes to their knowledge of how democracies work. While there is the national constitution and what it says about our governance system many people are in the dark about not only the term limitation for heads of state and party governments but clearly on the rule of law.
Meanwhile, a quick AI search on the topic informed that several countries have experienced significant political shifts recently (2022–2026), with long-ruling parties losing their majority or power entirely, often driven by voter discontent over economic challenges and inflation.
Here are key examples of countries where political parties lost after a long time in government:
Major Long-Term Power Shifts (2024–2025)
Botswana (2024): The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) was defeated in October 2024, ending its 58-year rule since independence in 1966.
South Africa (2024): The African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994, forcing it into a coalition government after 30 years of dominance.
United Kingdom (2024): The Labour Party won a landslide victory, ending 14 years of Conservative Party rule.
Japan (2025/2024): The long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority in both houses of the National Diet following scandals, breaking their historical stranglehold on power.
Bangladesh (2024): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League were ousted in August 2024 following student-led protests, ending a nearly 15-year rule.
Other Recent Significant Changes (2022–2024)
Senegal (2024): Opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye won the presidential election, defeating the ruling coalition candidate.
Argentina (2023): Javier Milei won the presidency, defeating the ruling coalition candidate during a severe economic crisis.
Australia (2022): The Liberal Party (conservative) was voted out after nine years of rule, replaced by the Labor Party.
Sweden (2022): The left-wing Social Democrats were voted out after a bloc of right-wing parties won a majority.
