Sierra Leone Government to Start Regulating Religious Worship, Licensing Imams And Certifying Pastor

A proposed government policy aimed at regulating religious practice that would require licensing for imams and certification for pastors is drawing sharp criticism from religious leaders who call it an unconstitutional overreach.

The “Religious Tolerance and Practice Policy” aims to promote interfaith harmony and address public concerns including excessive noise, unsafe mass gatherings, and religious incitement. But critics say the proposal gives the state dangerous control over sacred institutions.

Former Attorney General Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara warned that the policy “quietly puts the sacred under state control.”

“The same state that can’t provide clean water now wants to decide who speaks for God,” Kamara wrote. “A vague ‘code of conduct’ could silence critics. You don’t need a government stamp to lead the faithful. Govern the secular. Leave the soul alone.”