WALKOUT, NOT BOYCOTT: KARGBO DRAWS THE CONSTITUTIONAL LINE
Opposition Leader Says APC MPs Left Parliament to Defend the Constitution, Not Abandon Their Duties
Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, has defended the decision by Opposition Members of Parliament to walk out of Parliament, insisting that their action should not be interpreted as a boycott of parliamentary business.
Kargbo described the walkout as a principled political stand against what Opposition MPs believe was a procedurally unconstitutional attempt to amend Sierra Leone’s Constitution. According to him, the decision demonstrated unity, courage and a strong commitment to protecting the country’s supreme law.
“We did not boycott Parliament. Our position was a principled one,” Kargbo declared, stressing that the Opposition’s action was motivated by constitutional concerns rather than an intention to abandon their responsibilities as elected representatives.
He further argued that Parliamentarians have a duty to respect the provisions of the Constitution, particularly those governing the passage of constitutional amendments and the requirement for the necessary two-thirds majority.
Kargbo praised Opposition MPs for standing together, saying their unity reflected their determination to defend the interests of the Sierra Leonean people.
“No force can divide us when we stand together for the people and for the Constitution,” he stated.
The Opposition Leader also sought to reassure constituents that the walkout would not end their parliamentary responsibilities. He said Opposition MPs would return when Parliament reopens in October and continue representing their respective constituencies.
The development adds another layer to the growing political debate surrounding the Constitutional Amendment Bill, as the Government and Opposition remain divided over the procedure and substance of the proposed constitutional changes.
For Kargbo and his colleagues, however, the message is clear: walking out of the Chamber, they insist, does not mean walking away from Parliament—it means drawing a line over what they believe the Constitution demands.
