Is Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr the Mayor of Freetown? To many people in the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), the decision by the governing Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) led government to appoint a candidate for the Deputy or Acting Mayor of Freetown has sparked a constitutional debate that harkens to the shafting of procedural law by the government.
It goes without saying that the current government of Sierra Leone does not subscribe to the tenets of procedural law going as far back as the removal of the 9 APC Members of Parliament and the election of Chernor Abass Bundu as Speaker – a position that should have been Hon Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah’s that was gave up for an MP representation at ECOWAS.
In a matter that many in the APC see as the start of the protection of the people’s votes so as to avoid the electoral issues that plagued the 2018 and 2023 presidential elections, the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, together with members of her party, the main opposition APC threatened to boycott all Council activities until the controversy surrounding the appointment of Edmond Sylvester Alpha as Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) is resolved.
However, her decision to boycott Council activities has led the SLPP led government to nominate a deputy mayor, which position is not constitutional.
The protest over the appointment of Alpha is centred on the legitimacy and legality of his appointment and the obvious lack of trust that he will perform his duty without fear or favour.
‘The SLPP government has in effect replaced Aki-Sawyerr as Mayor of Freetown since there is no constitutional provision for a deputy mayor. This new development is a clear move by the ruling party government to have someone they can control at the Freetown City Council since Mayor Aki-Sawyerr has made it impossible for the SLPP to interfere in her governance of the Municipality. You have to understand that the Freetown City Council has a lot to do with the development of the city, which roles are presently under threat due to the impasse at the Freetown City Council. The APC will no longer stand aside while the ruling party makes a mess of procedural law. With a constitutional review in the offing, we have to do all we can to protect the people’s votes and there is nowhere better to start than with the appointment of the ECSL brass,’ an APC strategist informed this medium.
The APC strongman averred that the mayor’s position is protected by the constitution and that she cannot be made to suffer for the decision her party takes.
‘This matter should have been addressed to and by the APC; this is not a fight between Aki-Sawyerr and the SLPP government but between the two political parties. It is her right as a citizen to protest the appointment of the ECSL chairman without her job or position being jeopardised. Once again we have seen that the ruling party government does not care too much about the procedures of our laws as long as what they are up to will result in them maintaining their grip on state power. However, a distinction must be made about the rules that govern a party and those that deal with players on the national scene. The mayor’s role is protected by law and cannot be trampled on by the government with the appointment of a deputy speaker when the mayor already has her running-mate, Kweku Lisk to replace her should there be a need to. What the SLPP has done has in effect left us with two heads at the City Council,’ the ranking APC strategist informed NEWS FORUM.
‘The APC that is gearing up for 2028 is not the same that had been in disarray since 2018. We are not leaving anything up to chance and will take to the streets if we see a clear move by this party government to change the rules and procedures of the law as we head into 2028. We cannot allow for a repeat of the compromises that were made by the party’s leadership since 2018, all of which left the party in a lurch. We are ready to hold the SLPP up to the expectations and respect for the rule of law. So answering your question, Aki-Sawyerr is still Mayor of Freetown although her position is under threat from those who are bent on setting aside the rule of law for them to gain power in a roundabout way. It is either by the law or we take to the streets,’ the APC strategist warned.
As the nation prepares for the much anticipated 2028 presidential election, ranking APC members informed FORUM NEWS that they plan on checking any excess by the ruling party that is either aimed at bastardising the National Constitution or prolonging their stay in power through unconstitutional means.
Meanwhile a quick online search on the removal of the Mayor of Freetown disclosed that the removal of a mayor in Sierra Leone, including the Mayor of Freetown, is governed primarily by the Local Government Act 2022, not directly by the 1991 Constitution, which focuses on national-level officials. Removal typically involves investigations into misconduct, corruption, or inability to perform functions, requiring legal due process rather than solely executive action.
Key details regarding the removal process:
Legal Basis: The removal of a Mayor or Council Chairperson is strictly guided by the Local Government Act 2022.
Grounds for Removal: A mayor can be removed for failing to perform duties, corruption, or acting in violation of the law.
Presidential Authority: Section 40 (1) of the 1991 Constitution provides the President with supreme executive authority, which can be interpreted to allow for state intervention in local councils if they fail to operate correctly
Protest and Removal: Mere absence from duty or political protests by a mayor does not legally meet the threshold for removal,
Dispute Resolution: In instances of conflict, such as the dispute in 2026, the government might attempt to appoint an Acting Mayor, which is heavily contested by opposing parties as an abuse of power
However, the process often raises questions about the balance of power, with arguments centring on whether an appointed Minister or President can discipline a popularly elected Mayor. JKL
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