Claim: A viral social media post by Young Gen claims that President Julius Maada Bio has released a new manifesto for the next election and promised that if re-elected for a third term, he would transform Freetown into a modern city.
Verdict: False. Neither President Bio’s official communication channels nor the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) have published any such manifesto. Additionally, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education refuted any possibility of a Third-term agenda in office for President Bio, as Sierra Leone’s Constitution limits a president to two consecutive terms, and there is no credible record showing President Bio has declared an intention to seek a third term.
Full Text
A Facebook post circulating online by Young Gen alleges that President Julius Maada Bio has unveiled a manifesto for the next general election and promised to transform Freetown into a futuristic city if voters support his return for a third term in office.
The post includes a digitally polished image showing a modern highway system and high-rise buildings in Freetown, alongside a portrait of the president. The caption urges citizens to support him in the next election so the capital can look like the image in the publication. A similar claim was also made here.
Given the constitutional and political implications of the claim, DUBAWA examined its accuracy.
Verification
DUBAWA reviewed the official social media pages and public communication channels of President Julius Maada Bio and found no statement, policy document, or manifesto announcing a third-term bid or a redevelopment plan matching the viral claim.
Checks of the official platforms of the Sierra Leone People’s Party also showed no publication of such a manifesto. See here and here.
Under the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, a president is limited to two five-year terms, making a third consecutive presidential term constitutionally impermissible. This is pursuant to section 46 (1) of the 1991 Constitution, Act No. 6 of 1991. “No person shall hold office as President for more than two terms of five years each, whether or not the terms are consecutive.”
This provision is considered an “entrenched” clause, meaning it cannot be amended without a two-thirds majority in Parliament followed by approval in a national referendum.
Further review shows that the President Bio-led government, through the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, reaffirms its commitment to constitutional reforms, while rejecting a third-term agenda. The same was reported by Sierraloaded.
No credible local or international media outlet has reported that the president intends to seek another term.
Conclusion
The claim that President Julius Maada Bio has released a manifesto for a third-term presidential bid and promised to redesign Freetown into the city shown in the viral image is false. There is no official evidence supporting the claim.