It’s a Democracy: You Can’t Intimidate Your Way To Re-election
It has been another eventful week. The invitation and interrogation of Freetown Mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and the detention of opposition lawyer Ady Macauley by the Sierra Leone Police sparked a huge public uproar this week. Lawyers, activists and other members of the public have condemned the detention of Mr Macauley, calling for his release. The […]
Who pays your salary? How public officials blur the line between state and party
The nature of politics in Sierra Leone produces a state and government that is highly patrimonial. In fact, political scientists would refer to it as neo-patrimonial—a system that runs on a patron-client exchange, transacting political favours for the loyalty of clients. The patrons are usually leaders, top officials, anyone with access to state resources and […]
Musa Tombo is different: We must live with that!
The intention of this week’s editorial is not to dwell on the much-talked-about Musa Tombo situation just for the sake of it. Musa Noah Kamara’s (also known as Musa Tombo) repeated rejection of an overseas lifestyle and foreign football career has been problematised by many Sierra Leoneans without regard for the nuances and peculiarity of […]
It’s the economy!!!
The economy is in very bad shape. No doubt. Prices are skyrocketing, making it harder for people to make ends meet. In a country where most of the population lives below the poverty line with a GDP per capita of around US$ 600, one can only imagine how miserable life has become. A quick look […]
2023 Elections: Voter registration hiccups and implications for the electoral process
The registration of voters for next year’s public elections has had a bumpy start. In the first week, staff contended with malfunctioning kits and other logistical problems, while many registrants were left either frustrated or confused. This delivery is clearly the product of a not-so-well-planned exercise by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL). Sorry, […]