President Julius Maada Bio, despite being the greatest vilified presidential candidate in the country’s 2012 and 2018 presidential elections has finally repealed the 55 years draconian and obnoxious Part Five of the Public Order Act of 1965.

Unlike past governments failures to deliver on their campaign promises, President Bio has stood firmly behind his Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swarray to deliver on his campaign promise to repeal the seditious libel law..

The history making by expunging the long draconian law that suppresses press freedom in the country has raised the democratic credentials of the President both locally and internationally.

The Public Order Amendment Bill, 2020, which expunged the long obsolete law that criminalizes journalists for seditious libel was yesterday Thursday 23rd July, 2020 unanimously passed into law by Members of Parliament

The repealed of part five would ensure guaranty of human rights for freedom of the press in exercising their rights as journalists for national development.
Sierra Leone is the only country in West Africa under President Bio to repeal Part 5 of the Public Order Act 1965 that received no opposition in the well of parliament.

President Bio received massive commendations from Journalists, civil society activists, lawmakers and the general public for making them breathe a sigh of relief with the amendment

The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Chernoh Abass Bundu commended the President for his exemplary leadership in fulfilling his campaign promise to expunge the infamous section in the Public Order Act 1965.

Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swarray reiterated on the tenacity showed by President Bio in ensuring that this section is repealed.

President of Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Ahmed Nasaralla said he was proud. He said it was a momentous day for him being the President to see part five of the Act expunged in the law book.

He further heaped praises and commendations on the President for his commitments in ensuring the Act is amended.