In a bold televised statement on the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) on Wednesday, 11th June 2025, the Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, delivered a scathing critique of the Clerk of Parliament, Hon. Paran Umar Tarawally, accusing him of persistently undermining the Constitution for political and personal gain.
Hon. Kamara, who represents the All People’s Congress (APC), firmly declared that the Clerk’s continued stay in office is a direct threat to constitutional governance and parliamentary integrity. He warned that the APC will no longer sit idly by while the laws of the land are openly flouted.
“We are ever ready to defend the Constitution,” Hon. Kamara declared.
He pointed to mounting evidence, including a viral video in which the Clerk allegedly admitted to influencing the election of the Speaker of Parliament—behavior the Chief Whip described as “clear manipulation” and a betrayal of public trust.The APC stalwart strongly criticized Hon. Tarawally’s dual roles as both Clerk of Parliament and Secretary-General of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), calling the arrangement unconstitutional. According to Kamara, the laws of Sierra Leone expressly forbid public officials from engaging in partisan political activities.
“You cannot be both an impartial Clerk and a political actor at the same time,” he asserted. “The Clerk of Parliament must leave the House if he wants to continue down a political path.
”Hon. Kamara further accused the SLPP government of orchestrating a campaign of political witch-hunting, where civil servants perceived as APC sympathizers—often for simply wearing the party’s color red—are being arbitrarily dismissed and replaced with ruling party loyalists.
“Anyone seen in red is targeted for dismissal and replaced with an SLPP loyalist,” he said.
The Chief Whip expressed grave concern over what he termed a “rapid erosion of public respect” for the country’s legislative body, warning that continued inaction would deepen the crisis of credibility facing Parliament.
He also revealed that the APC has been engaging the Speaker of Parliament on the matter. According to him, the Speaker initially promised to respond to their concerns within two weeks, a deadline that has now lapsed without a formal reply. The Speaker has reportedly requested an additional week, but the APC remains firm in its position.
In response, the APC has suspended all other parliamentary engagements pending resolution of the issue.
“This is no longer just a party matter—it’s about protecting the Constitution and the dignity of Parliament,” Hon. Kamara concluded.
As public pressure mounts and the opposition doubles down, all eyes now turn to the Speaker’s anticipated response in the coming days.
Whether this standoff results in institutional reform or further political standoff remains to be seen.
