What support is there for chiefdom governance in Sierra Leone? What implications does decentralisation have for the future of the country’s chiefdoms? This article from African Affairs examines chiefdom authority in Sierra Leone and public perceptions of local chiefs. It argues that chiefdom authority continues to have considerable support. Chiefs and headmen are seen as particularly important in settling minor disputes, especially in rural areas.Recent analyses of Sierra Leone’s civil war have argued that the conflict was fuelled by a crisis within chiefdom authority. This argument emphasises tensions between rural youths and their elders due to traditional marriage laws, enforced community labour, harsh fines and a lack of opportunities. However, a counter-argument has emerged which emphasises that chiefs retain strong support in underpinning rural communities and protecting citizens from the abuses of central government. Survey data supports this counter-argument, showing that there remains strong support for traditional chiefs, in some aspects of their operation, especially in rural regions. Therefore, calls for the abolition of chiefdom authority in Sierra Leone on the grounds that people resent them appear to be misguided.
A survey conducted in both rural and urban areas of three distinct regions of Sierra Leone in July and August 2005 shows that:
- Traditional authorities enjoy high support compared to other conflict resolution institutions. 78 and 81 per cent of respondents said that their section chief and village headman, respectively, could resolve conflict and maintain peace and security.
- Sierra Leoneans have a positive view of the performance of chiefs and headmen. 48 per cent reported that their headman was ‘very good’ at resolving conflict, while 43 per cent said the same for their section chief.
- Sierra Leoneans have a relatively poor view of the performance of the local and magistrate’s courts in resolving conflict. Respondents complained of delays to cases and that access to justice depends on one’s wealth.
- Chiefs have greater support in rural areas, with respondents in these areas are more likely to rate their performance as ‘very good’ than those in urban areas.
- In terms of regional variations, there is particularly strong support for chiefdom authority in rural areas of Kenema District in the east of the country.
- Decentralisation could create friction between the new local councils and the traditional chiefs over development funding, ward and chiefdom committees, local taxes, land and resources.
- The Local Government Act transfers the paramount chiefs’ responsibility for setting revenue rates to local councils, while maintaining the chiefs’ responsibility to collect these taxes. This could cause friction.
- The new councils are potentially more accountable to the state than to their electorate. Enjoying strong support, it is often chiefs that can best protect their people’s interests and rights from exploitative central politics.
- Local councils and chiefdom authority can complement each other in ensuring that both remain accountable to their people. However, this requires a suitable clarification of their responsibilities.
