AYV News, August 10, 2026
A rare display of bipartisan unity marked the State Opening of the Fourth Session of the Sixth Parliament on Friday, August 7, 2026 as women Members of Parliament from the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) came together in a symbolic show of national cohesion.
The lawmakers, who have often found themselves on opposing sides of the political divide, drew attention when they gathered for a joint family photograph inside the Chamber of Parliament, smiling, embracing and putting aside party differences in what many observers described as one of the defining moments of the day’s proceedings.
The gesture came as President Dr. Julius Maada Bio used his State Opening Address to make a strong appeal for reconciliation, political tolerance and national unity, urging Sierra Leoneans to place the country’s interests above partisan divisions.
“Our progress as a nation depends on peace, trust and a shared sense of purpose,” President Bio told Parliament. “Development must reach every region and benefit every Sierra Leonean, regardless of ethnicity, gender or political affiliation.”
The President warned that while political disagreement is a normal feature of democracy, tribalism, hate speech, misinformation and violence threaten national stability and democratic progress.
“Whatever our differences, we are Sierra Leoneans first,” he declared, calling on Government, Parliament, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media to foster peaceful engagement and responsible dialogue.
In one of the most significant political statements of his address, President Bio acknowledged the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice’s decision to discontinue the criminal proceedings against former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma under Section 45 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024.
He expressed hope that the decision would help lower political tensions, advance national reconciliation and allow the country to focus on addressing pressing economic and social challenges.
“I hope this decision will help reduce political tensions, advance reconciliation and enable us to focus more fully on the pressing challenges facing our people,” the President said.
President Bio added that former President Koromaremains an important part of Sierra Leone’s history and expressed confidence that he would continue to contribute to the country’s peace, unity and democratic development.
Against the backdrop of the President’s appeal, the image of female parliamentarians from both the SLPP and APC standing shoulder to shoulder offered a powerful visual representation of the unity and national healing he called for, underscoring the possibility of cooperation across political lines in the national interest.
