By Richmond B. Tholley
The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone has, on Tuesday, 18th March 2025, declared Paramount Chief Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III of Sambaia Chiefdom as the Paramount Chief Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District.
The District was without a Paramount Chief representative in the House of Parliament following the death of PC Alhaji Masakama Kanamanka III, the former Paramount Chief Member of Parliament, in November 2024.
In the exercise of its powers conferred upon it by Sections 33, 72, and 74(1)(a) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone (Act No. 6 of 1991) and under Sections 98 to 101 of the Public Elections Act, 2022, the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone completed nominations for the conduct of Paramount Chief Member of Parliament bye-elections on Thursday, 20th February—Friday, 21st February 2025, in Tonkolili District, Northern region.
After the closing of the nominations, PC Bai Kafari Haja Mama II of Tane Chiefdom and Hon. PC Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III of Sambaia Chiefdom went through the process successfully.
However, the other candidate, PC Bai Kafari Haja Mama II of Tane Chiefdom, later withdrew from the process through a letter he officially tendered to the Commission. PC Kafari’s withdrawal letter left the former lawmaker PC Bamba Foray Jalloh the only candidate contesting for the Paramount Chief Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District.
By its powers conferred upon it, ECSL therefore declared the Paramount Chief of Sambaia Chiefdom, PCMP, of Tonkolili District, replacing the late PC Kanamanka III of blessed memory.
“In exercise, therefore, of the powers conferred upon it as the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone by Sections 33, 72, and 74 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991), and under Sections 68 and 98 of the Public Elections Act (Act No. 17 of 2022), the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone hereby declares PC Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III duly elected Paramount Chief Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District,” the press release from the Commission stated.
PC Kulio Jalloh was a member of Parliament from Tonkolili District under the Sierra Leone People’s Party until his controversial election as Sambaia Chiefdom Paramount Chief.
Recently, Jalloh was endorsed by colleague Paramount Chiefs to replace the former PCMP.
