As Sierra Leone debates constitutional reform, questions of judicial independence, transparent legal proceedings and equal justice take centre stage. For APC flagbearer aspirant Mohamed Omodu Kamara, popularly known as Jagaban, the debate presents an opportunity to outline a vision of leadership rooted in constitutional accountability and respect for the rule of law.
FREETOWN, WEDNESDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2026 —
At a defining moment in Sierra Leone’s democratic journey, the ongoing constitutional review has reopened one of the most fundamental questions facing the nation: How can the country build a constitutional system that guarantees justice, protects citizens’ rights and ensures that political authority remains accountable to the law?
As debate continues over proposed constitutional amendments and the legal processes surrounding them, attention has turned to the responsibilities of the judiciary, Parliament and political leadership in safeguarding the country’s democratic institutions.
For Sheikh Alhaji Mohamed Omodu Kamara, popularly known as Jagaban, a presidential flagbearer aspirant of the All People’s Congress (APC), the national conversation presents an important opportunity to demonstrate how constitutional principles could inform his approach to leadership.
At the heart of that conversation is a principle that transcends party affiliation: Justice must be fair, transparent and accessible to every Sierra Leonean, regardless of political influence, economic standing or social status.
THE CONSTITUTION MUST BE GREATER THAN POLITICAL POWER
Sierra Leone’s Constitution is the foundation of the country’s democratic governance. It defines the powers of government, establishes the responsibilities of public institutions and guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms.
Any attempt to review or amend that Constitution must therefore be approached with seriousness, transparency and respect for established legal procedures.
The constitutional review process should not become a contest over which political institution or individual exercises the greatest influence. Rather, it should provide an opportunity to strengthen the safeguards that protect citizens against the misuse of authority.
For the APC and its presidential aspirants, including Jagaban, the debate raises an important question about the future of constitutional governance.
What commitments should a prospective president make to ensure that the Constitution remains supreme, even when its provisions limit the authority of the government?
A credible answer requires more than political declarations. It requires clear commitments to institutional independence, accountability and the consistent application of the law.
JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE IS NOT OPTIONAL
The ongoing constitutional debate has also drawn attention to the role of the judiciary as an independent institution responsible for interpreting and applying the law.
A strong democracy requires judges who can discharge their responsibilities without intimidation, improper political interference or external pressure.
Equally, it requires legal proceedings that are conducted fairly, decisions that are reached through established procedures and mechanisms through which judicial conduct can be held accountable under the law.
Judicial independence and judicial accountability are complementary principles.
Neither should be used to undermine the other.
Lawyers must be able to represent their clients and advance lawful arguments. Litigants must have a fair opportunity to present their cases. Citizens must be able to seek legal remedies without fear of discrimination or retaliation.
At the same time, everyone participating in judicial proceedings remains subject to the applicable laws and professional standards.
For Jagaban, these principles provide a framework through which to articulate a constitutional governance agenda.
Such an agenda could address transparent judicial appointments, the protection of judicial tenure, fair disciplinary procedures, access to legal representation and measures to improve the administration of justice.
These issues deserve consideration not because they benefit any particular political party, but because they affect the rights of every Sierra Leonean.
JUSTICE MUST NOT DEPEND ON WHO YOU ARE
Perhaps the most important test of constitutional reform is whether its protections can be enjoyed equally by ordinary citizens.
The Constitution must protect the market woman seeking justice, the farmer involved in a land dispute, the young person facing criminal proceedings, the journalist exercising freedom of expression and the political opponent challenging a government decision.
Justice should never depend on wealth, personal connections or political affiliation.
Yet constitutional guarantees alone cannot resolve the practical barriers that citizens may encounter when seeking legal remedies.
The cost of legal representation, delays in court proceedings, limited access to legal services and the challenges faced by rural communities all deserve attention within the wider discussion of justice-sector reform.
A constitutional system earns public confidence when its protections operate in practice, not merely when they are written into law.
As Sierra Leone considers its constitutional future, aspiring national leaders have an opportunity to explain how they would address these longstanding challenges.
For Jagaban, that means connecting any commitment to fairness and transparency with practical proposals capable of improving the justice system for citizens across the country.
JAGABAN AND THE QUESTION OF ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP
As the APC prepares for the 2028 presidential election, constitutional governance should occupy an important place in the leadership debate.
The responsibility of a president extends beyond economic management, infrastructure development and the delivery of public services.
It includes protecting the independence of institutions, respecting constitutional limitations and ensuring that executive authority is exercised lawfully.
Jagaban’s public profile has been shaped partly by his community development initiatives, support for party infrastructure and grassroots political engagement.
The constitutional debate presents a different dimension of the leadership question: how would those seeking national office protect institutions whose decisions may sometimes conflict with their own political interests?
This is a question every presidential aspirant should be prepared to answer.
A commitment to judicial independence must apply when court decisions are favourable and when they are inconvenient.
A commitment to transparency must extend to government decisions, public expenditure and the exercise of executive authority.
And a commitment to equality before the law must protect political opponents as firmly as political allies.
The true measure of constitutional leadership is not the power a leader possesses, but the willingness to exercise that power within the limits of the law.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM SHOULD STRENGTHEN NATIONAL UNITY
Constitutional reform is too important to be reduced to political confrontation.
Sierra Leone’s democratic institutions belong to the entire nation, not to a particular government, political party or generation of leaders.
Political disagreement over proposed amendments is a legitimate feature of democratic governance.
However, disagreement must be expressed through lawful procedures, responsible public debate and respect for the institutions entrusted with resolving constitutional disputes.
Citizens and political leaders have the right to question policies, examine legislative proposals and offer reasoned criticism of judicial decisions.
Those rights must be exercised without intimidation, threats or attempts to improperly influence legal proceedings.
The constitutional review should therefore encourage meaningful consultation among political parties, legal professionals, civil society organizations, traditional authorities, young people, women and the wider public.
For Jagaban and other political leaders, participation in this debate offers an opportunity to demonstrate that national interests can take precedence over immediate political advantage.
The objective should be a constitutional framework that remains legitimate and effective regardless of which political party occupies State House.
THE ROAD TO 2028 MUST INCLUDE THE RULE OF LAW
As Sierra Leone looks toward the next presidential election, the country’s constitutional future deserves the same attention as economic development, employment, agriculture, healthcare and education.
These national priorities are closely connected.
Investors depend on predictable legal institutions. Businesses require enforceable contracts. Citizens need protection against arbitrary decisions. Public officials must remain accountable for the lawful exercise of their responsibilities.
Without credible institutions, even ambitious development programmes can struggle to achieve sustainable results.
The constitutional review therefore provides an important opportunity for presidential aspirants to move beyond general promises and present measurable commitments to institutional reform.
For Mohamed Omodu Kamara, this means that any proposed vision of national renewal should address not only what a future administration intends to accomplish, but also how that administration would govern.
The answers should include respect for the separation of powers, protection of fundamental rights, transparency in public administration and meaningful accountability under the Constitution.
A CONSTITUTION FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT THE POWERFUL
Sierra Leone stands at an important constitutional crossroads.
The decisions taken during this period may influence the country’s democratic institutions long after the present political disagreements have passed.
The national interest demands a process grounded in constitutional legality, informed consultation, institutional independence and public accountability.
For Jagaban, the constitutional debate offers an opportunity to explain how his aspirations for national leadership would translate into concrete safeguards for democratic governance.
For the APC, it provides another issue through which members can examine the commitments of those seeking to represent the party in 2028.
And for the people of Sierra Leone, it presents an opportunity to insist that constitutional reform must serve the nation rather than the interests of those temporarily entrusted with political authority.
A Constitution must protect the powerless as firmly as the powerful. Justice must remain independent of political influence. And every leader, regardless of position or popularity, must remain accountable to the law.
That is the standard Sierra Leone’s constitutional future deserves.
Because the ultimate purpose of constitutional reform is not to strengthen the hands of those in power, but to strengthen the rights of the people.
