Constitution of Sierra Leone

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The Constitution of Sierra Leone is the supreme law governing Sierra Leone and delineates its frame of government. It entered into force on October 1, 1991, following a popular referendum and approval by President Joseph Momoh. It superseded the 1978 Constitution.

The new constitution allowed for multi-party elections which were scheduled for October 1992 and ended one-party rule for the All People's Congress (APC).^[1] The constitution was suspended after a military coup in April 1992. In 1996, the Constitution was reinstated and popular elections were held. An interregnum occurred between May 1997 and March 1998 when a coup d'état deposed the government.

The Constitution is divided into fourteen chapters. Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president that serves as the head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected for a term of five years for a maximum of two terms. Ministers of State and members of Sierra Leone's judiciary are appointed by the president and confirmed by the parliament through majority vote. Sierra Leone has a unicameral legislature and the constitution provides for an independent judiciary vested with the power of judicial review. The constitution offers specific protections of fundamental human rights, individual liberty and justice and places restrictions on the powers of government over the people. It can be amended through a bill of parliament that is subject to the approval of a referendum. The Constitution was last amended in 2016.