Direct Think Tank has strongly criticized Members of Parliament representing the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) for walking out of the Chamber during proceedings on the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill, describing their action as an abandonment of parliamentary responsibility.
The organisation issued the criticism in a Press Release dated Monday, 10 August 2026, following the overwhelming passage of the Bill in Parliament.
According to Direct Think Tank, the APC lawmakers’ decision was more than a political protest. It represented what the organisation described as a “betrayal” of the mandate entrusted to them by the citizens who elected them.
The think tank maintained that Members of Parliament are elected to represent their constituents’ interests, concerns and aspirations inside the legislative Chamber. It said lawmakers are expected to debate legislation, scrutinize its provisions, propose amendments, challenge the Government and vote against measures they consider harmful to the country.
Direct Think Tank argued that walking out while fundamental constitutional matters were being decided deprived APC constituents of effective representation at a critical moment.
While acknowledging the opposition’s democratic right to reject the proposed amendments, the organisation said meaningful opposition should involve using every legitimate parliamentary mechanism available inside the Chamber.
“Opposition is not simply about making a political statement outside Parliament; it is about using every legitimate parliamentary mechanism available to defend one’s position inside Parliament,” the organisation stated.
It argued that if APC lawmakers believed certain provisions of the Bill threatened Sierra Leone’s democracy, they should have remained in Parliament to identify those provisions, challenge the Government, propose alternatives and register their opposition through the voting process.
The organisation questioned whether the MPs were representing their constituents or merely advancing their party’s position when they decided to leave the Chamber.
According to Direct Think Tank, political parties remain essential democratic institutions, but the parliamentary mandate ultimately belongs to the people. It therefore urged elected representatives to place their constitutional obligations and the interests of their constituents above partisan considerations.
The organisation further warned that amendments to the Constitution should not be reduced to a contest between the Government and the opposition.
It described the Constitution as the supreme framework governing the relationship between the State and its citizens, stressing that any attempt to amend it must receive the highest level of parliamentary scrutiny and meaningful public participation.
Direct Think Tank said the Government has a responsibility to explain and justify the proposed changes transparently, while the opposition must rigorously examine and challenge any provisions it considers problematic.
“The people of Sierra Leone deserve better than political walkouts, parliamentary theatrics and partisan posturing. They deserve serious constitutional debate,” the statement noted.
The organisation maintained that the APC could not convincingly claim that the amendments posed serious threats to democracy while abandoning the institution where those concerns could have been formally debated and challenged.
Direct Think Tank consequently called on the APC leadership and its Members of Parliament to explain why they left the Chamber instead of participating fully in the debate and voting process.
It also asked the party to identify the specific provisions it wanted defeated or amended, disclose the parliamentary strategies it exhausted before staging the walkout and explain how leaving the Chamber advanced the interests of its constituents.
The think tank further requested details of any alternative strategy the APC intends to pursue to protect the constitutional interests it claims are under threat.
However, the organisation made clear that its criticism of the opposition did not absolve the Government or the parliamentary majority of responsibility.
It warned that securing an overwhelming majority in Parliament does not necessarily amount to achieving national consensus on constitutional reform. It therefore urged the Government to ensure that the amendment process receives meaningful public scrutiny and commands legitimacy beyond the numerical strength of the governing party in Parliament.
Direct Think Tank called on civil society organisations, citizens, journalists, academics, legal practitioners, political parties and other democratic stakeholders to examine the amendments carefully and independently.
It encouraged Sierra Leoneans to rise above partisan divisions and ask legitimate questions about proposals that could shape the country’s democratic and constitutional future.
“The Constitution belongs to the people of Sierra Leone; not to the SLPP, not to the APC and not to any individual political leader,” the organisation emphasized.
Direct Think Tank pledged to continue monitoring the constitutional reform process and providing independent analysis in the national interest.
The organisation concluded that democracy is strengthened when elected representatives remain in Parliament to speak, scrutinize, challenge and vote on matters affecting the people they represent.
It reiterated its position that the APC lawmakers’ decision to walk out during such a significant constitutional moment constituted a serious disservice to their parliamentary mandate.
“Sierra Leone deserves political leaders who will remain at the table when the stakes are highest,” the statement concluded.
