THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION OF SIERRA LEONE, 1991
(Act No. 6 of 1991)

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
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CHAPTER I -- THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE

  1. Declaration of Republic

  2. Public Seal

  3. The National Flag and National Anthem

CHAPTER II -- FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY

  1. Fundamental Obligations of Government

  2. Government and the People

  3. Political Objectives

  4. Economic Objectives

  5. Social Objectives

  6. Educational Objectives

  7. Foreign Policy Objectives

  8. Obligations of the Mass Media

  9. Enhancement of National Culture

  10. Duties of the Citizen

  11. Fundamental Principles not Justiciable

CHAPTER III -- THE RECOGNITION AND PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL

  1. Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms of the Individual

  2. Protection of Right to Life

  3. Protection From Arbitrary Arrest or Detention

  4. Protection of Freedom of Movement

  5. Protection From Slavery and Forced Labour

  6. Protection From Inhuman Treatment

  7. Protection From Deprivation of Property

  8. Protection for Privacy of Home and Other Property

  9. Provision to Secure Protection of Law

  10. Protection of Freedom of Conscience

  11. Protection of Freedom of Expression and the Press

  12. Protection of Freedom of Assembly and Association

  13. Protection From Discrimination

  14. Enforcement of Protective Provisions

  15. Public Emergency

  16. Interpretation of Chapter III

CHAPTER IV -- THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

  1. Registration of Voters

  2. Electoral Commission

  3. Functions of the Electoral Commission

  4. Political Parties Registration Commission

  5. Registration and Conduct of Political Parties

  6. Secret Ballot

  7. Referendum

  8. Constituencies and Elections

  9. Filling of Vacancies

CHAPTER V -- THE EXECUTIVE

PART I —  THE PRESIDENT

  1. Office of the President

  2. Qualifications for Office of President

  3. Election of President

  4. Period During Which Presidential Elections Shall Take Place

  5. Parliament to Make Laws for Election of President

  6. Presidential Returning Officer

  7. Tenure of Office of President, etc.

  8. President in Parliament

  9. Incidents of Office, etc.

  10. Vacancy in Office of President

  11. Mental or Physical Incapacity

  12. Misconduct by President

  13. Temporary Filling of Vacancy

PART II —  EXECUTIVE POWERS

  1. Exercise of Executive Authority in Sierra Leone

  2. Vice-President

  3. Vacancy in Office of Vice President

  4. Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Government

  5. Oaths to be Taken by Ministers, etc.

  6. Ministerial Vacancies

  7. Establishment of Cabinet

  8. Collective Responsibility

  9. Constitution of Offices

  10. Administration of Ministries

  11. Prerogative of Mercy

  12. Establishment of the Office of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice

  13. Solicitor-General

  14. Director of Public Prosecutions

  15. Secretary to the President

  16. Secretary to the Cabinet

  17. Secretary to the Vice-President

  18. Power of Appointment Vested in the President

  19. Other Statutory Appointments

  20. Office of Paramount Chief

CHAPTER VI -- THE LEGISLATURE

PART I —  COMPOSITION OF PARLIAMENT

  1. Establishment of Parliament

  2. Members of Parliament

  3. Qualifications for Members of Parliament

  4. Disqualifications for Members of Parliament

  5. Tenure of Seats of Members of Parliament

  6. Determination of Question as to Membership of Parliament

  7. The Speaker

  8. Deputy Speaker

  9. Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker

  10. Clerk of Parliament

  11. Oath to be Taken by Members of Parliament

PART II —  SUMMONING, PROROGATION AND DISSOLUTION

  1. Sessions of Parliament

  2. Life of Parliament

  3. Sittings of Parliament

  4. General Election

PART III —  PROCEDURE IN PARLIAMENT

  1. Presiding in Parliament

  2. Quorum in Parliament

  3. Use of English in Parliament

  4. Voting in Parliament

  5. Unqualified Persons Sitting and Voting

  6. Committees in Parliament

  7. Regulation of Procedures in Parliament

  8. Contempt of Parliament

  9. Criminal Proceedings

PART IV —  RESPONSIBILITIES, PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES

  1. Responsibilities of Members of Parliament

  2. Freedom of Speech and Debate

  3. Parliamentary Privileges

  4. Immunity From Service of Process and Arrest

  5. Immunity From Witness Summons

  6. Immunity From Serving as Juryman

  7. Immunity for Publication of Proceedings

  8. Privileges of Witness

PART V —  EXERCISE OF LEGISLATIVE POWER

  1. Power to Make Laws

  2. Mode of Exercising Legislative Power

  3. Minister May Introduce Bill and be Summoned to Parliament

  4. Alteration of Constitution

  5. Residual Authority of Parliament

PART VI —  FINANCE

  1. Authorisation for Imposition of Taxation

  2. Consolidated Fund

  3. Authorisation of Expenditure from Consolidated Fund

  4. Authorisation of Expenditure in Advance of Appropriation

  5. Withdrawals of Moneys for General Revenues

  6. Remuneration of the President and Certain Other Officers

  7. Contingencies Fund

  8. Public Debt

  9. Loans

  10. Establishment of the Office of Auditor-General

CHAPTER VII —  THE JUDICIARY

PART I — THE SUPERIOR COURT OF JUDICATURE

  1. Establishment of the Judiciary

PART II — THE SUPREME COURT

  1. Composition of the Supreme Court

  2. Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

  3. Appeals to the Supreme Court

  4. Interpretation of the Constitution

  5. Supervisory Jurisdiction

  6. Power of Justices of the Supreme Court in Interlocutory Matters

  7. Enforcement of the Constitution

PART III — THE COURT OF APPEAL

  1. Composition of the Court of Appeal

  2. Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal

  3. Power of Single Justice of Appeal

PART IV — THE HIGH COURT

  1. Composition of the High Court

  2. Jurisdiction of the High Court

  3. Claims Against the Government

  4. Supervisory Jurisdiction of the High Court

PART V — APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES, ETC.

  1. Appointment of Judges, etc.

  2. Judicial Vacancies

  3. Tenure of Office of Judges, etc.

  4. Remuneration of Judges, etc.

  5. Oath of Office of Judges

PART VI — JUDICIAL AND LEGAL SERVICE COMMISSION

  1. Establishment of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission

  2. Appointment of Judicial and Legal Service Officers, etc.

  3. Appointment of Court Officers

  4. Fees of Court, etc.

  5. Official Document

  6. Rules of Court Committee

CHAPTER VIII — OMBUDSMAN

  1. Parliament to Establish Office of Ombudsman

CHAPTER IX — COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY

  1. Appointment of Commissions of Inquiry

  2. Powers, Rights and Privileges of Commissions of Inquiry

  3. Report of Inquiry

  4. Rules Regulating Commissions of Inquiry

CHAPTER X — THE PUBLIC SERVICE

  1. Establishment of the Public Service Commission

  2. Appointments, etc. of Public Officers

  3. Appointment of the Principal Representatives of Sierra Leone

  4. Appointment of Permanent Secretaries and Certain Other Officers

PART II — THE POLICE FORCE

  1. Establishment of the Sierra Leone Police Force

  2. Establishment of Police Council

  3. Appointments in the Police Force

  4. Functions of the Police Council

PART III — RESIGNATIONS, RE-APPOINTMENTS AND PROTECTION OF PENSION RIGHTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS HOLDING ESTABLISHED OFFICES

  1. Resignation and Effect of New Appointment of a Person Holding Established Office

  2. Re-appointment, etc.

  3. Protection of Pension Rights

PART IV — POWER AND PROCEDURES OF COMMISSIONS AND COUNCILS, AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

  1. Power of Commissions in Relation to the Grant of Pensions

  2. Power and Procedure of Commissions

  3. Protection of Commissions From Legal Proceedings

CHAPTER XI — THE ARMED FORCES

  1. Establishment of the Armed Forces

  2. Prohibition of Private Armed Forces

  3. Establishment of Defence Council

  4. Appointments in the Armed Forces

  5. Functions of the Defence Council

CHAPTER XII — THE LAWS OF SIERRA LEONE

  1. The Laws of Sierra Leone

CHAPTER XIII — MISCELLANEOUS

  1. Interpretation

  2. Legislation

  3. Consequential Provisions

CHAPTER XIV — TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

  1. Existing Constitution — Act No. 12 of 1978.

  2. Effect of Transitional Provisions

  3. Existing Law

  4. Application of Existing Law

  5. Preservation of Existing Offices

  6. Existing Parliament

  7. Delegated Powers and Inquiries

  8. Continuation of Matters

  9. Legal Proceedings

  10. Appeals

  11. Jurisdiction of Courts

  12. Finance

  13. Financial Authorisation

  14. Official Seals, etc.

  15. Continuation of the Police Force

  16. Continuation of the Military Forces

  17. Repeal of Act No. 12 of 1978 and Savings

  18. Reprint

  19. Commencement

FIRST SCHEDULE

SECOND SCHEDULE

THIRD SCHEDULE

FOURTH SCHEDULE

CONSTITUTION OF SIERRA LEONE AMENDMENT ACT, 2001
Election by District Block Representation System.