By: Benedict AbuBakarr Conteh
Photogrid showing Hon. Paran Umar Tarawally and members of parliament in the chambers of parliament
Weeks after Beline Media Empire and DUBAWA debunked a claim about the resignation of the Clerk of Parliament, the matter has now come full circle: the Clerk has officially resigned his position.
The False Start
The initial resignation claim was made online by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President at State House Myk Berewa, igniting a wave of online speculation by some social media users.
At the time, Beline Media Empire and DUBAWA conducted a thorough fact-check and found that no official resignation had occurred.
The online confirmation in public domain was a letter showing the Clerk is on leave. No resignation letter had been submitted at the time of filing that fact-check.
Screenshot of the letter dated 2nd of July, 2025, written by the Speaker of Sierra Leone Parliament.
Sierra Leonean news outlets, including Liberty Online TV, Sierraloaded, and Owl Press SL, confirmed in their reports that the Clerk of Parliament has been placed on leave.
Presidential Directive
In the wake of the Clerk’s active involvement in internal politics particularly his bid for the Secretary General position of his political party the Sierra Leone Peoples Party, the opposition in Parliament raised alarms, describing his actions as a breach of constitutional provisions and the Political Parties Regulation Commission Act.
In response, rather than stepping down, the Clerk was placed on administrative leave by directive of President Julius Maada Bio. In a letter dated June 1, 2025, addressed to the Leader of Opposition Hon. Abdul Kargbo, the Speaker of Parliament informed the Leader him that:
“His Excellency the President has directed that the Clerk of Parliament proceeds on leave effective June 20, 2025, as he exercises his mind on the next line of action regarding the Office of the Clerk.”
In the interim, Gilbert N'habay was named Acting Clerk of Parliament until further notice.
The Real Resignation
On Monday, August 4 2025, the now-former Clerk confirmed in a public statement that he has officially ceased to serve as Clerk of Parliament effective August 1 2025. He explained that prior to his election campaign for the Secretary General role within his political party, he made a commitment to his supporters to resign if victorious. Having won the position, he said, it was only right to follow through.
“Dstinguished Party faithfuls, you may recall that during my campaign tours,I pledged to you that if you elect me as your Secretary General, I will resign my job as Clerk of Parliament to sit in the Party Office and work for you.
In fulfilment of this pledge, on Friday, 1st August 2025, I ceased to serve as Clerk of Parliament.” he stated.
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Appreciation message from Hon. Paran Umar Tarawally after winning the National Secretary General position of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party.
Full Circle
While the initial announcement from the State House Communications Director proved false, the latest development confirms that the resignation, though delayed, has now officially taken place. The sequence of events underscores the importance of verifying political claims, even when they come from high-level sources.
Beline Media Empire and DUBAWA reaffirms its commitment to responsible journalism.
Our original fact-check served to clarify misinformation at a critical moment, and we remain committed to tracking evolving political developments with accuracy and integrity.
We will continue to monitor who will be officially appointed by the President and be voted for by members of parliament to the Office of Clerk and what this change could mean for the operations of Parliament moving forward.
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