President Julius Maada Bio has appointed Edmond Sylvester Alpha as the Acting Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), following the expiration of the outgoing chairman’s five-year tenure.
Alpha, who has been serving as the Electoral Commissioner for the Southern Region, officially assumed his new role on July 21, 2025, according to a letter signed by Secretary to the President, Barba B. Fortune. His appointment was confirmed on July 29, 2025.
The decision comes after the tenure of the former Chief Electoral Commissioner, which ran from July 28, 2020, to July 27, 2025, came to an end.
As Acting Chairman, Alpha is expected to steer the Commission during the transition period until a substantive appointment is made. The presidency emphasized that the move is intended to ensure continuity and stability in the management of Sierra Leone’s electoral processes.
The ECSL plays a critical role in conducting and supervising all public elections and referenda in the country, as well as managing the registration of voters and political parties.
By Fuad Kallon
