In a recent investigation conducted by the Independent Governance Research (IGR), concerning the engagement and commitment of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Sierra Leone, a concerning discovery emerged. The data revealed that during the 277 sittings, a total of 13 MPs remained completely silent, raising significant questions about their dedication to the parliamentary process and their constituents.
Of particular concern was the evident gender disparity among these silent MPs, as only one female representative was among the 13, with the rest being male. The distribution of these silent MPs also highlighted intriguing patterns. Among the 13, five were affiliated with the All People’s Congress (APC), three with the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), and five held positions as Paramount Chief MPs (PCMP). Strikingly, there were no silent representatives from the National Grand Coalition (NGC), Coalition for Change (C4C), or Independent parties.
Another noteworthy aspect of the investigation was the status of these silent MPs. Seven of them were re-elected and will continue their tenure, while the remaining six failed to secure re-election and will not return to parliament.
Among the seven re-elected MPs, three belonged to the SLPP, three were PCMPs, and one was affiliated with the APC, making up 9% of the 76 MPs who secured re-election. On the other hand, the six MPs who did not return to parliament included four from the APC and two PCMPs.