Following parliamentary approval of his nomination, President Dr Julius Maada Bio formally swore in Edmond Sylvester Alpha as the new Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL).
The appointment procedure complied with Section 32(3) of the Constitution, which mandates that the President confer with the leadership of all registered political parties before making such an appointment, according to Baba Brima Fortune, Secretary to the President.
Mr Fortune claims that 14 registered political parties received formal notification of the nomination on February 10, 2026. Twelve of those parties sent back letters endorsing Mr Alpha’s appointment. He added that the swearing-in was made possible because the nominee passed parliamentary scrutiny and got the required support from lawmakers.
Mr Alpha thanked President Bio for giving him the position after taking the constitutional oath to faithfully carry out his responsibilities and to uphold the Constitution. He described the appointment as “a sacred contract with the people of Sierra Leone” and pledged to lead the ECSL with integrity, independence, openness, and inclusivity. “Our democracy thrives on the belief that every voice matters and every vote counts,” Mr Alpha stated, highlighting the importance of public trust in the electoral process. As the commission works, he promised to uphold an open-door policy, seek positive engagement with political parties and stakeholders, and promote impartial discourse.
President Bio emphasised in his remarks that he had used his constitutional authority to make the appointment and that he had followed the legal consultative procedures this time. He implied a stricter adherence to constitutional requirements in the current appointment by contrasting this strategy with actions he had witnessed during his time in opposition. The President urged Mr Alpha and the other commissioners to carry out their responsibilities with humility, patriotism, and unwavering devotion to democratic principles, characterising the position as a significant national responsibility.
President Bio also took the opportunity to highlight recent democratic reforms implemented by his administration, citing the repeal of the death penalty and Part Five of the Public Order Act as examples of actions taken to improve democracy and rights in Sierra Leone. He reaffirmed his demand for continuous national discourse, characterising it as the foundation of a robust and prosperous democracy.
