Aruna Turay, AYV News, July 29, 2026
Member of Parliament for Pujehun district, Hon. Mariama Munia Zombo, has called for stronger constitutional provisions to advance women’s political participation and gender equality, while expressing support for retaining the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system.
Contributing to the parliamentary debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill, Hon. Zomboreferenced the Attorney General and Minister of Justice’s position that the PR system is less costly to implement, arguing that its benefits justify its retention.
“The Attorney General and Minister of Justice has informed us that the PR system is less expensive, so why cannot we just stick to it?” she asked.
She noted that the PR system promotes broader representation by ensuring that more districts and communities have a voice in governance, unlike the First-Past-the-Post system.
According to the lawmaker, the electoral model enables better management of votes and provides greater opportunities for diverse political representation across the country.
On the issue of women’s participation, Hon. Zomboacknowledged the Government’s efforts to increase female representation but maintained that additional measures are needed to achieve meaningful gender equality.
She proposed the introduction of reserved parliamentary seats for women, similar to arrangements adopted in several African countries, to increase women’s representation in elective offices.
“We want more,” she said, stressing that affirmative measures remain necessary to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in politics.
The Pujehun district legislator also advocated for the use of gender-inclusive language in the Constitution, observing that the current constitutional text predominantly uses male pronouns.
She urged lawmakers to amend the language to ensure that women are explicitly recognised throughout the Constitution through references such as “he or she” and “him or her.”
Hon. Zombo further emphasised that financial barriers continue to discourage many qualified women from contesting elections.
“If we want to see more women in politics, we must remove all the financial barriers women face,” she said, calling for greater financial support and empowerment initiatives for aspiring female politicians.
The MP also reiterated her longstanding commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls, particularly in the fight against child marriage.
She reminded Parliament of her successful 2024 Private Member’s Bill, which prohibits child marriage and cohabitation with a child, annuls child marriages, provides compensation and protection for victims, and harmonises existing laws relating to child marriage.
Calling for collective action, Hon. Zombo urged citizens, civil society organisations and policymakers to work together to safeguard the rights of children.
“As we move forward, I urge all citizens, organizations, and policymakers to join us in this vital movement. Together, we can create an environment where every girl can thrive, learn, and grow without the threat of early marriage,” she said.
Before entering politics, Hon. Zombo built a distinguished career spanning more than 28 years in strategic programming, operations, gender-responsive policy and legislation development, grants management, and community development.
Her contributions formed part of Parliament’s ongoing debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which seeks to introduce reforms aimed at strengthening governance, electoral processes, and democratic representation in Sierra Leone.
