The Paran Affair

A Microcosm of Sierra Leone's Political Entitlement

By Basita Michael (Lawyer, Former ICL Lecturer FBC, Founder Sierraeye Magazine and Sierraeye Debate, Former President SLBA, Governing officer ILRAJ)

The investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into allegations against Hon. Paran Tarawally and his wife, Abibatu Paran Tarawally, has uncovered a staggering misuse of public funds. The recovery of Le 151 million Old Leones, paid as salary to Mrs. Tarawally for nineteen months without her presence in Parliament, not only exposes the dubious conduct of a public official but also sheds light on the larger problem of entitlement within Sierra Leone's political family.

The Parans' case is not isolated; it is emblematic of a larger problem within our political system. It reflects a prevailing attitude of over-entitlement among politicians and their families across successive regimes.

The Pervasive Indifference to corruption and abuse of office

As the investigation unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that the Parans of our political landscape are symptomatic of a deeper malaise—a pervasive indifference to corruption and an acceptance of abuse of office as a norm.

At a recent meeting with SLPP Parliamentarians, members chanted, "We want we clerk!" "Paran!" "We want we clerk!" "Paran!" This underscores the alarming degree of indifference within our political society. The delayed response from the State House to the issue, followed by the deafening silence of the opposition and civil society, highlights a lack of urgency in addressing corruption concerns. Even the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu, made a candid admission, acknowledging the presence of corruption within the administration of Parliament. Subsequently, he offered apologies, signaling a rare moment of transparency and accountability within our political institutions.

The word is the Paran case only surfaced because he dismissed staff and stepped on the toes of others in Parliament. This further suggests that corruption might have persisted undetected without such events and that accountability is driven not necessarily by ethical considerations but by revenge and anger. 

A damning indictment of our nation 

The Paran Tarawally affair is not just a scandal involving a single public official; it is a mirror reflecting the wider malaise afflicting our political family and that, as a society, we have become immune to the corrosive effects of corruption and abuse of office.

For far too long, the fight against corruption and abuse of office has been reduced to mere campaign slogans. The apparent ease with which individuals exploit their positions for personal gain suggests a systemic failure in our political culture, where accountability takes a backseat to self-interest.

Whether the Parans are indicted or not, the affair serves as a damning indictment of our country's political class and our nation as a whole. 

Beyond investigations and apologies 

The rot within our political institutions demands more than just an investigation into specific cases or an apology. The pervasive issues within our political institutions necessitate a comprehensive overhaul.

We must initiate systemic changes and reforms within Parliament, aiming for a complete transformation that bolsters transparency, accountability, and efficiency. While Parliament serves as an oversight body, there is an imperative need for an external entity to act as a check on parliamentary activities—a mechanism to "police the police."

On a societal level, the prevailing acceptance of corruption as a viable recourse must be addressed. We have a collective responsibility to safeguard the integrity of our public institutions. This requires a departure from entitlement-driven behaviors that compromise the proper functioning of these institutions and a conscious effort to refrain from incessantly exerting pressure on them, seeking undue favors, contracts, or employment opportunities based on personal connections, such as spouses, friends, relatives, or constituents.

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Basita Michael: Lawyer, Former ICL Lecturer FBC, Founder Sierraeye Magazine and Sierraeye Debate, Former President SLBA, Governing officer ILRAJ

Sierra Leone attorney Basita Michael has continually challenged the government on grounds of unconstitutionality, violations of democracy, and breaches of the rule of law. She has been insulted, harassed, and threatened by the male-dominated government, but she continues to speak out in favor of her fellow citizens’ rights and support of the disadvantaged and marginalized.

Basita Michael Profile

Lawyer, Former ICL Lecturer FBC, Founder Sierraeye Magazine and Sierraeye Debate, Former President SLBA, Governing officer ILRAJ

Click here

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Related

The SLPP Clerk of Parliament and His Wife on Alleged Corruption

Paran Umar Tarawally, the Clerk of Parliament, employed ghost workers, including his wife, and since the said employment, Mrs. Abibatu Tarawally has not been reporting for duties but received salaries.

Click here

Word on The Street !!

ACC BOSS TURNS SHIELD FOR CORRUPT PAOPA's

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Arrived in Freetown

Lungi International Airport

January 24, 2024

U.S. Embassy in Sierra Leone posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the ‘U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, wheels down in Freetown, Sierra Leone. 

Over the next two days, she will have the chance to meet with civil society, young leaders, and government officials. Follow along!’

She had stops in Guinea Bissau and Liberia, leading the U.S. Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of President-elect Joseph N. BoaKai in Liberia as outlined in a Press Release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Freetown on 20th January 2024.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield’s trip to Sierra Leone will advance the Biden Administration’s goals for Africa by reinforcing commitments to democracy, empowering women and youth, promoting regional peace and security, and promoting inclusive and sustainable development.

Follow along!

A moving visit to the Sierra Leone Peace Museum, which honors the victims of the country's decade-long conflict - and works to promote lasting peace.

Today, at the Sierra Leone Peace Museum, I met an inspiring young woman who represents the power of peace and reconciliation. pic.twitter.com/G005OUQWCw

— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) January 24, 2024

At the Sierra Leone Peace Museum, she met an inspiring young woman who represents the power of peace and reconciliation.

“The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide US$1.5 million to support electoral reforms in Sierra Leone.”

The support for electoral reforms in Sierra Leone will focus on technical assistance, funding for domestic and international legal analysts, and engaging citizens through civil society.

left to right: Alpha Sesay, Deputy Minister of Justice; Dr. Samura Kamara, APC 2023 presidential candidate; Seraphine Wakana, U.N. Resident representative; Dr. Kaifala Marah; Linda Thomas Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; and Bryan David Hunt, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Sierra Leone

The visiting United Nations Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Freetown.

Present was Dr. Samura Kamara, of the main opposition APC and the 2023 presidential candidate. Deputy Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay. The Tripartite Committee Chairs for Electoral Reforms, Dr. Emmanuel Gaima, Dr. Kaifala Marah, and the U.N. Resident representative, Seraphine Wakana.

“Highlights of today’s events:”

— UPDATED: January 25, 2024; 7:14 PM EST.

'Appreciated the chance to meet with Sierra Leonean President Bio.' Linda Thomas Greenfield posted on X, formally Twitter.

The visiting U.S. Representative, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, met with President Maada Bio, and she congratulated the president on Sierra Leone’s first term on the UN Security Council.

They also discussed the government’s continued efforts to uphold the National Unity Agreement.

Readout of Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Meeting with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio

For Immediate Release

CLICK HERE

A great event in Freetown!

She met with an incredible group of young women leaders including alumni of U.S. education exchange programs to discuss the transformative role women play in Sierra Leone.

At Fourah Bay College and Tombo Fishing Village, she heard from people whose livelihoods were threatened by the climate crisis. She acknowledged that the crisis is already impacting food and health security and that the United States is committed to supporting Sierra Leone and other countries on the frontlines.

She is grateful for the opportunity to strengthen the United States' ties with Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and five days, three countries later, she is heading back to New York. 

Liberia's New President Joseph Boakai

President Joseph N. BoaKai

January 22, 2024

By Theo Edwards

“Liberia exemplified the ideal functioning of democracy as a former President and the outgoing President raised hands together with the elected President in a show of unity for the country.”

— Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

The 79-year-old, who defeated George Weah in a runoff election in November, was sworn in during an outdoor ceremony in sweltering heat in the West African nation's capital, Monrovia.

The Image of the former and outgoing president raising hands with the elected president shows unity and commitment to progress.

Don in traditional Liberian attire, the new president takes office with a promise to unite and rescue Africa’s oldest republic.

In his speech, “Partisanship must give way to nationalism,” Boakai told citizens and foreign delegation members who attended his inauguration ceremony in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital. He listed improving adherence to the rule of law, fighting corruption, and renewing “the lost hope” of citizens as his priorities.

The ceremony, however, was cut short while he was delivering his inauguration speech as BoaKai began to show signs of physical distress due to the sweltering heat.

The 79-year-old since has been declared 'perfectly fine' by his doctors, his office says.

Mr. Boakai already had been sworn in as Liberia's oldest-ever president. He was delivering his inauguration speech when it became clear that he was having difficulty continuing.

Boakai has dismissed concerns about his age, arguing that it came with a wealth of experience and achievements that would benefit the country.

He was vice president under Liberia’s first female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from 2006 to 2018 before being beaten by George Weah in the 2017 election. 

Related

Pretty Strong Uppercut Delivered to George Weah in Liberia’s Election

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“PRESS RELEASE”

— UPDATED: January 25, 2024 - 1:10 PM Liberia Time

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has appointed Ms. Kula Bonah Nyei Fofana as Presidential Press Secretary.

The appointment made on Thursday, January 25th, 2024, takes immediate effect. Ms. Fofana comes to the position with deep knowledge of public relations and communication.

Ms. kULA Fofana

Kula Fofana Profile

Kula Fofana is Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at David A. Straz Technical and Vocational College of the University of Liberia and a student of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law. She currently serves as the President of People’s Foundation Africa (PFA), an organization working for marginalized and hard-to-reach communities in Liberia and across Africa.

Before co-founding the PFA, she served the Liberian government as Assistant Minister for Youth Development, Co-Chaired Liberia’s Vision 2030, and headed the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) Adolescent Girls Division. She has also consulted with several agencies of the United Nations including UNFPA and UN-Habitat, among others. For many years she worked in civil society organizations on issues related to young women and girls, youth, and vulnerable populations. Kula was a 2019 Senatorial Candidate for the Grand Cape Mount County Senatorial By-Election in Western Liberia.

She holds a Graduate Certificate in International Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C., and a BA in Mass Communications, graduating cum-laude from the African Methodist Episcopal University in Liberia.

Kula is an activist with interests in social and transitional justice, diversity, and feminism. She is also a farmer.

The United States Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, to visit Sierra Leone

U.S Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield

January 21, 2024

The United States Embassy in Sierra Leone confirmed in a statement that Linda Thomas Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, will be visiting Sierra Leone this week.

In the statement, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will hold talks with Julius Maada Bio, the President, as well as engage with the country’s opposition leaders and the international community to discuss progress in the delivery of the National Unity and Peace Accord signed by the government, the main opposition APC and the African Union following the June 2023 post-elections standoff between the government and the opposition APC party.

u.s. embassy, sierra leone - Press Release

She also will discuss the Biden Administration's goals for Africa's commitments to democracy, promoting regional peace and security, inclusive and sustainable development, and empowering women and youth.

Sierra Leone allows ex-president Koroma to leave country on medical grounds

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“UPDATE: Former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma relocated from Abuja, Nigeria, to Accra, Ghana, possibly to avoid potential extradition to Sierra Leone following President Julius Maada Bio’s assumption of the ECOWAS chairmanship.”

— Source: Yeabu Dumbuya | July 08, 2025

DW: ECOWAS gets a new leader at pivotal time for West Africa.
https://t.co/B7s0x2A8n2

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) June 24, 2025

END UPDATE

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FREETOWN (Reuters)

Updated Wed, January 17, 2024 at 1:23 PM EST

FREETOWN (Reuters) -A Sierra Leone high court on Wednesday allowed ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, charged this month with treason, to travel abroad on medical grounds.

Koroma, 70, was charged with four offenses for his alleged role in a failed military attempt to topple the West African country's government in November.

There are concerns Koroma's indictment could stoke tension brought by a contentious election in which President Julius Maada Bio was reelected for a second term in June 2023. The main opposition candidate rejected the results and international partners questioned the vote.

Months later, on Nov. 26, gunmen attacked military barracks, a prison, and other locations in Sierra Leone, freeing about 2,200 inmates and killing more than 20 people.

The government said afterward that it was a foiled coup led mostly by Koroma's bodyguards. They summoned the ex-president for questioning at the start of December.

Koroma condemned the attacks shortly after they happened. His lawyers have called the charges "trumped up" and part of a "political vendetta".

The magistrate overseeing the case on Wednesday ruled in favor of Koroma's lawyers, who had asked the high court to grant Koroma a trip abroad for medical reasons.

The ex-president will be allowed to travel to Nigeria for no more than three months, the magistrate said before adjourning the case to March 6.

Sierra Leone's attorney general declined to comment.

Koroma was not in court on Wednesday, a Reuters reporter said. He was granted bail when the court indicted him on Jan. 3 and has since been confined to his home in the capital Freetown.

Nigeria had previously offered to host him temporarily, which he had accepted, according to a letter from West Africa's main regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, seen by Reuters.

According to Sierra Leone's penal code, a person found guilty of treason could face imprisonment for life.

Twelve other people also have been charged with treason in connection with the failed coup, including ex-police and correctional officers and a member of Koroma's security detail.

(Reporting by Umaru Fofana Writing by Sofia Christensen Editing by Nick Macfie and Toby Chopra)

View article source

Related

Sierra Leone Failed Coup

Information Minister commented on Al Jazeera on the court's ruling granting ex-president Bai Koroma permission to travel to Nigeria on medical grounds.

Chernor Bah, the Information Minister, commented on Al Jazeera on the court's ruling granting ex-president Bai Koroma permission to travel.

Former President Ernest Bai Koroma Formally Charged With Treason

read

NGC Accuses Dr. Abass Bundu, Speaker of Parliament, of Aiding and Abetting Corruption in Parliament

National Grand Coalition (NGC) Party, Press Release

14th January 2024

The NGC finds it appalling that despite the serious allegations against the Clerk of Parliament, no concrete steps have been taken by the Parliament’s leadership to address the issue.

Dr. Abass Bundu, Speaker of Parliament, Sierra Leone

NGC believes that corruption should be treated as a criminal offense. Part of the problem in our enforcement effort is the need for adequate, fair, and consistent punitive measures proportional to the crime's nature, extent, and monetary value.

National Grand Coalition (NGC) Party Press Release

National Grand Coalition (NGC)

Press Release

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The SLPP Clerk of Parliament and His Wife on Alleged Corruption

In a troubling revelation, Paran Umar Tarawally, the Clerk of Parliament, employed his wife, Mrs. Abibatu Tarawally, as a Human Resource Officer in Parliament.

The Parliamentary Commission is investigating abuse of office allegations that the Clerk of Parliament employed ghost workers, including his wife, without due process and that since the said employment, Mrs. Abibatu Tarawally has not been reporting for duties but received salaries. 

Paran Umar Tarawally, the Clerk of Parliament, Sierra Leone

Reports indicate that Abibatu Paran Tarawally never reported for duty. Mrs. Tarawally's employment as a Human Resources Officer at Parliament, a role she purportedly obtained through her husband's influence, received a substantial gross salary of Le31,735,839 (Old Leone) and additional allowances for medical, rent, and utilities. This amounts to around US$7,000 monthly.

The Bonnie and Clyde Duo: The Clerk of Parliament Paran Tarawally and his wife, Abibatu Paran Tarawally.

The wife has agreed to pay back the money she received as a salary, having hired as a Human Resources Officer at Parliament, and the Commission confirmed they recovered about ninety percent of the money from her so far as the [Parliamentary Commision] continues with its investigations.

It is sad for us as a nation. Concerned citizens are asking why he [Paran Tarawally] is still in an official position.

Greed and Corruption in Leadership!

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Investigation of Allegations Against The Clerk of Parliament and His Wife

ACC Investigation of Allegations Against The Clerk of Parliament and His Wife

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is accused of double standards when dealing with corruption involving SLPP government officials and party members by misrepresenting the facts to minimize the severity of the crime(s). 

A pay stub shows the wife of the Clerk of Parliament had been a ghost employee in parliament and receiving state funds from at least 2021 and not the ten (10) months as stated by the ACC.

A Pay stub for Mrs. Abibatu Tarawally, wife of the Clerk of Parliament, Paran Umar tarawally

Critics say that corruption perpetrated by officials and subordinates is a direct reflection of the SLPP leadership. 

Sierra Leone is bleeding cash. Much of the corruption under the SLPP-led administration is highlighted in SL News print.

Theo Edwards for YAME

Change Your Lifestyle, Reverse Your Disease

Restoring Health, Reversing Disease Award-winning Health and wellness expert. Media Medic & Commentator

Dr. Chidi Ngwaba

“Change Your Lifestyle, Reverse Your Disease.”

— Dr. Chidi, MD

Dr. Chidi is a British physician specializing in reversing Lifestyle Diseases such as Hypertension, Diabetes, Autoimmune Diseases, and many more. Trained in surgery, General Practice, Emergency, and lifestyle Medicine to high levels, and educated at Cambridge, UCL, Kings' & Johns Hopkins.

HOPE for AFRICA!

Health News in Video

Health News in Video

Sierra Leone Civil War

January 6, 1999

Human Rights Watch

January 6, 1999, rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) launched an offensive against the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown.

In the early hours of January 6, 1999, rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) launched an offensive against the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, capturing it from government troops and the soldiers of the Nigerian-led peacekeeping force known as ECOMOG, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Cease-fire Monitoring Group. The battle for Freetown and the ensuing three-week rebel occupation of the capital was characterized by the systematic and widespread perpetration of all classes of atrocities against the civilian population, of over one million inhabitants, and marked the most intensive and concentrated period of human rights violations in Sierra Leone's eight-year civil war.

As the rebels took control of street after street, they turned their weapons on the civilian population. By the end of January, both government and independent sources estimated that several thousands of civilians had been killed. The rebels dragged entire family units out of their homes. They murdered them, hacked off the hands of children and adults, burned people alive in their houses, rounded up hundreds of young women, took them to urban rebel bases, and sexually abused them. As the ECOMOG forces counterattacked and the RUF retreated through the capital, the rebels set fire to neighborhoods, leaving entire city blocks in ashes and over 51,000 people homeless.1 And, while the RUF took with them almost no prisoners of war, they withdrew to the hills with thousands of abductees, mostly children and young women.

This latest rebel offensive brought to the capital the same class of atrocities witnessed in Sierra Leone's rural provinces over the last eight years and is the latest cycle of violence in an armed conflict that has claimed an estimated 50,000 lives and caused the displacement of more than one million Sierra Leoneans. Since launching the rebellion in l991, the RUF has fought to overthrow successive governments it accuses of widespread corruption, nepotism, and mismanagement of the country's vast diamond and mineral resources. However, since its inception, the RUF has failed publicly and clearly to articulate an alternative political agenda and has consistently committed gross and large-scale atrocities against civilians.

The rebel offensive brought to the capital the same class of atrocities witnessed in Sierra Leone's rural provinces.

In December 1998, following the capture of the diamond-rich Kono district and subsequently Makeni, Sierra Leone's fifth largest city, thousands of RUF fighters started moving towards the capital. By early January 1999, they had reached the peninsula on which Freetown is located and gathered less than twenty miles west of the capital city. On January 6, the rebels broke through the highly stretched and poorly manned ECOMOG defenses, ill-prepared for a rebel offensive in force, and proceeded to march through the eastern suburbs and straight into the city center.

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Sierra Leone Remembrance Day, January 6

January 6, 1999, rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) launched an offensive against the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown.

Sierra Leone Remembrance Day, January 6.

Video Courtesy: Al Jazeera

Kenya Says First 'Visa-free' Tourists Arrive In Country

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said visa requirements would be waived for all travelers to Kenya regardless of nationality.

January 5, 2024

The government's immigration services department said the "maiden visa-free arrivals" landed in Nairobi from Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and more were expected to touch down in the coming days.

Kenya said Friday it had welcomed the first batch of foreign tourists who arrived under a simplified entry system it hopes will encourage more visitors.

The government's immigration services department said the "maiden visa-free arrivals" landed in Nairobi from Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and more were expected to touch down in the coming days.

The "maiden visa-free arrivals" landed in Nairobi from Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said visa requirements would be waived for all travelers to Kenya regardless of nationality.

Under the new system, travelers apply online for an electronic travel authorization (ETA)and pay a $30 "processing" fee.

"Right now... all countries around the world including Africa, Asia, America, Australia, and all over the world, can come in visa-free," he said at the scheme launch at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Last year President William Ruto announced that Kenya would become a "visa-free country" and existing requirements would be waived come January.

Even so, as recently as last Tuesday the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority warned the new ETA system was "in the process of development and implementation."

The number of tourist arrivals in 2022 rose to 1.54 million, still below pre-pandemic levels, according to tourism ministry figures.

Kenya Tourism Board chair Francis Gichaba voiced hope in November that the figure could top two million in the latest financial year, surpassing the 2019 figure of 1.9 million.

This article is By AFP - Agence France Presse; January 5, 2024.

Former President Ernest Bai Koroma Formally Charged With Treason

Four offenses include treason, misprision of treason, and two counts of harboring

By Theo Edwards

Sierra Leone's former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, has formally been charged with treason. The 4-court charge borders on his alleged involvement in a failed attempt by security forces to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone on November 26, 2023.

Ex-Presendent Bai Koroma court appearance

Ministry of Information Press Release

The government has disagreed with ECOWAS Terms set out in a letter ref: ECW/PC/DC/2024-001/oat dated January 2, 2024, addressed to the President of State of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

ECOWAS Terms set out in a letter ECW/PC/DC/2024-001/oat dated January 2, 2024

The Attorney General of Sierra Leone requested the matter stand down; later, reports indicated that charges were filed.

The former president is represented by lawyer Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara and other lawyers. The Ex-President Koroma was granted bail by a High Court order on condition. The case was adjourned to January 17, 2024.

Former President Ernest Koroma's Treason indictment and bail conditions

Former President Ernest Koroma's Treason indictment and bail conditions

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Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, the lead-lawyer representing ex-president Ernest Koroma, comments on AYV tv on the legal matter and implication against his client _a former head of State. 

The former President was arraigned on a four-count indictment including treason and two counts of harboring. The charges stem from alleged involvement in an attempt to overthrow the Sierra Leone Government on November 26, 2023.

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FILE - Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma, center, on arrival for talks with Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh, in Banjul, Gambia, Dec. 13, 2016. Former President Ernest Bai Koroma was charged with treason for his alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt in November, Sierra Leone's government said Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.

Sylvain Cherkaoui/AP

New Aviation Charges for International Passengers

Ministry of Transport and Aviation - Ref: MTA/SLCAA/19/4

December 28, 2023

In an agreement with FIA Ltd., previously Summa Airport (SL) Ltd., on implementing the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) regarding the Freetown International Airport, the following Airport Services and Charges are revised or introduced. They will be effective 1st March 2024 and beyond. See the 'Review of Aviation Charges’ item table.

Fees must be paid in USD $$ Currency directly to the USD Bank Account of FIA Ltd., formerly SUMMA Airport (SL) Ltd.

Review of Aviation Charges item table

Ref: MTA/SLCAA/19/4

Nightmare Before Christmas

A loaded container slides off a container chassis and crushes pedestrians to death

By Theo Edwards

The gruesome incident happened on the evening of December 21, 2023. At the time we went to press, there were 16 people in the hospital, 1 in critical condition, and two people lost their lives.

The Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, on Facebook, expresses her thoughts and prayers with victims of the trailer accident at Eastern Police.

The gruesome incident happened on the evening of December 21, 2023, by Eastern Police.

Pretty Strong Uppercut Delivered to George Weah in Liberia’s Election

Liberia Presidential Election

PRESS STATEMENT

President George Weah accepts his electoral defeat. Mr. Weah congratulates former VP Joseph N. BoaKai as the Winner of the 2023 presidential run-off election. He called Mr. Boakai via telephone following the announcement of provisional results by the National Elections Commission.

Liberia Presidential Run-off Provisional Result

The United States congratulates the people of Liberia on holding a peaceful presidential runoff election. And call on all citizens to follow President Weah’s example and accept the results.  

Read the Liberia Presidential Elections Press Statement By The U.S DEPARTMENT of STATE

THE U.S DEPARTMENT of STATE PRESS STATEMENT

READ

Mom Who Spends 30 Years Working Abroad to Support Son Is Surprised by Him as Her Pilot on a Trip Home

This is certainly true for a woman who left Ethiopia for Lebanon, where she worked as a maid for 30 years.

October 24, 2023

Many immigrants have incredible stories of hard work, often times involving a parent moving to a place with more opportunities to give their kids a better life.

Certainly true for a woman who left Ethiopia for Lebanon, where she worked as a maid for 30 years. Back home, her son long wished to become a pilot, further inspiring her to work hard and support his dream. As a powerful tribute, the devoted mom got a special surprise on her grand return home. As she boarded the plane, a flight attendant pushed back a curtain to reveal her son was actually the plane pilot.

The touching moment is caught on camera. In the clip, which has since gone viral, the mom boards the plane as a regular passenger, unaware of the surprise to come. Once the team confirms it’s her, the big reveal is set in motion. The pilot greets his unsuspecting mom with a big flower bouquet under his arm, as well as a cake and a bottle of champagne.

Mom who worked as a maid for 30 years to support her son's long wish to become a pilot.

The gifts are nothing compared to seeing her son, and the mom breaks down in tears of joy. They then embrace and kiss each other's faces repeatedly—almost to make sure it's not a dream. Amid all the commotion, the mom also makes sure to thank those who helped with the surprise, bowing her head in gratitude to each of them.

The sweet video is a testament to the undeniable love between a mother and her son, as well as the pride that they feel for one another. Being away and working hard to provide for your kids is a highly commendable endeavor —it's scenes such that this reminds many of why it is done in the first place.

This article is by REGINA SIENRA. Regina Sienra is a Staff Writer at My Modern—Met. Based in Mexico City, Mexico, she holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in Journalism from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She has 10+ years of experience in Digital Media, writing for outlets in both English and Spanish. Her love for the creative arts—especially music and film—drives her forward every day.

Yumkella Shocks No One

Op—Ed Culled ‘Rasta Rambles

‘My late wife Philomena and I have always believed that the NGC Party was not meant to be “MY” party but rather a vehicle and an institution for change.'

Former Flag Bearer of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) Honorable. Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella finally resigned from the party and switched over to the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

The inevitable can’t be resisted, even in the best of faith. Yumkella formally resigned from the NGC to return to the SLPP. No one’s shocked. What alliances? It was always a game for him and those who did his maneuvering.

Yumkella played and disrespected his colleagues and supporters from start to finish. How can you resign from a junior partner you led into a coalition only to defect to the majority partner with such callousness?

Hurling further insult at those who were prepared to take bullets for him, he wrote, ‘My late wife Philomena and I have always believed that the NGC Party was not meant to be “my” party but rather a vehicle and an institution for change’.

What an ingrate. They sped up, almost put that thing together for him! Now he’s disowned it.

He not only undermined the NGC’s genuine momentum-building efforts but plotted its fatality. The final blow was joining it with the SLPP months before an election. The NGC got wiped out. Three months later, he resigned. He publicly humiliated those who stayed with him when Dr. Dennis Bright and others left the party in disgust at his selfishness.

But, of course, the plan played out as he wanted. He’s got a job in government. The NGC is deceased, and therefore sod his supporters and those who tied their political ambitions to what they thought was a credible party.

To think that a lot of people saw Yumkella as a positive departure from the rotten political class is perhaps the greatest misplacement of trust in Sierra Leone’s politics. 

Suddenly, the realization couldn’t be more pronounced: Yumkella is the archetype, the sample of the Sierra Leonean politician: prioritizing himself and the cult of personality ahead of building and operating within institutional integrity. 

Just like a common sycophant, ‘Enti Fos Lady dae for witness,’ he sought validation from the president’s unelected missus while addressing the party faithful in rhetoric. He knows too well, that the people he’s talking to, out of desperation for better lives, would cheer anything but have zero stake in government. But he’s fooling them anyway. Telling them the government is answerable to them. Until a sentence later, the mask slipped. He title-checked the real boss, the person those in the current government are under oath to submit to: Bio’s wife.

Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella (KKY) returns to his roots

Even the visually impaired and the cognitively challenged can read Yumkella’s simplistic rationale for destroying the NGC. He thinks he’s Bio’s successor in the SLPP’s next leadership race and as president after 2028. In his thinking, even the opposition does not exist. Somebody should read him something about Hilary Clinton’s arrogance against Obama and her eventual defeat by Donald Trump. If that’s pushing it, he can read the story leading up to the 2018 elections, where he was a Major protagonist.

But it’s Sierra Leone. The government is the judiciary, the police, the army, and most importantly, the electoral commission.

Related Share

Sierra Leone 2023 - Final Report on General Elections June 2023

European Union Election Observation Mission Sierra Leone 2023

Dated 10.10.2023

Tabulation and announcement of results proved to be the tipping point for the credibility of the elections. The entire process was opaque, meaningful observation was impeded and the declaration of winners was not followed by the publication of disaggregated results per polling station. On 27 June, the ECSL declared Julius Mada Bio of the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP) elected for a second term, passing the constitutional threshold of 55 percent in the first round by 1.17 percentage points. Following the declaration of the results of the parliamentary elections a few days later, it was clear that result totals published by the ECSL showed several statistical inconsistencies and mathematical improbabilities. 

These included notable discrepancies in the number of average valid votes per polling station between the first and second batch of presidential results, varying from a decrease of 75 percent to an increase of 31 percent per district; a difference of up to 23 percentage points per district between the turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections, with some districts registering substantially lower parliamentary turnouts and others showing significantly lower presidential turnouts; turnout above 90 percent in five districts; and only 0.4 percent of invalid votes nation-wide. These inconsistencies, combined with the ECSL’s decision not to publish disaggregated results, undermined the credibility of the tabulation process and voters’ confidence in the outcome of the polls.

Overall, the 2023 general elections underscored a clear commitment among Sierra Leoneans to the democratic processes, while also proving an urgent need for further reforms focusing on transparency, trust-building, and inclusion. The EU EOM is offering 21 recommendations for improving the way elections are organized, managed, and conducted and for upholding regional and international commitments. 

There are seven priority recommendations:

1. Publish the final voter register per polling station and per polling center in a timely manner and allow voters to verify and correct all their details.  

2. The ECSL to establish and publish detailed procedures for the tabulation and announcement of results, as well as put in place a robust, transparent, and easily verifiable results processing system well ahead of elections. 

3. Publish on the ECSL website comprehensive election results data by polling station, including results per candidate and per party, the number of registered voters, and of valid and invalid votes, in a timely manner and in an easily trackable and downloadable database format. 

4. Ensure safety and security for all candidates through a timely conclusion of investigations, holding perpetrators of violence accountable, and enabling the PPRC to act effectively upon violations of campaign rules. 

5. Ensure enforcement of legal restrictions on the misuse of state resources and explicitly prohibit the use of official functions, as well as government websites and social media accounts for campaign purposes. 

6. Ensure transparency in campaign finance by introducing caps for campaign revenues and expenses and clear rules of reporting and public disclosure before, during, and after the elections, including by the media, and by implementing robust sanctions for noncompliance. 

7. Protect freedom of expression by clearly aligning the definitions of “cyber-terrorism”, “cyber-stalking”, “cyber-bullying” and “incendiary information” with relevant regional and international standards. 

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Visa Restriction Policy on Undermining the Democratic Process in Liberia

Statement by Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken

September 27, 2023

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced visa restrictions for individuals who he said were 'undermining democracy' in Liberia ahead of the country's elections in October.

'The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Liberia and around the world. Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for those undermining democracy in Liberia. This policy will take effect in advance of the upcoming election.'

The visa restriction policy announced today will apply to specific individuals and is not directed at the Liberian people or the Government of Liberia.

The Rising Cost of Living, Especially Food and Energy

Tin tranga! 

That is the new national anthem as hardship grips the motherland.

Tin tranga! That is the new national anthem as hardship grips the motherland. The cost of essential commodities keeps soaring, making the cost of living unaffordable for many. 

Sierra Leone

From food to fuel and utilities to higher education, everything is going out of reach for the average Salone man. Even those with deep pockets (and there aren’t many) are feeling the pinch. What is the government doing?

According to Statistics Sierra Leone, Consumer Price Inflation stood at almost 45% in July this year. When you focus on food and non-alcoholic beverages alone, you get a staggering 59.93% for the same month. These figures are alarming, but the reality of people, as far as the cost of living is concerned, is even more terrifying, with high levels of hunger and food insecurity. According to the World Food Programme, 78% of the country’s population is food insecure.

The rising fuel prices and impending increase in EDSA tariff in Sierra Leone definitely put a strain on the finances of its citizens. The situation is going to be difficult for everyone, regardless. When fuel prices go up, so do the prices of goods and services transported. 

‘_slogans and gimmicks but no real solution.’ Hardship for the people of Salone.

In only a few months, there has been a significant increase in fuel prices. The cost of electricity is about to increase. Last year, the cost of telecoms services—calling credit and mobile data—also increased significantly. Whether eating at a cookery baffa or a posh restaurant, you will still pay a lot more today. Recreation is a pure luxury.

The rising cost of living, especially food and energy, is commonly attributed to global market forces and, more recently, to the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukrainian war. While all of this might make sense, it is helpful only to an extent and is irrelevant to the people who struggle to live day by day. 

While global food and fuel prices decreased in 2022, Sierra Leoneans experienced a steady hike as the Leone depreciated by 60% in 2022. The economy has been on life-support for the most part, and according to the World Bank, inflation and currency depreciation reached record levels. So, the ‘global’ argument passed on from government to government does not pass muster. 

It is hard to understand and accept this type of behavior. It is a state of austerity for everyone except the administration. It is business as usual with an expanding wage burden—new and additional appointees, new institutions and offices, new big cars, and over-the-top spending. 

Thanks to the ensuing pressure of Bretton Woods and a broke State that constantly needs money, subsidies are being removed on fuel. You struggle to see the effort the State is making to cut costs. Everyone else bears the biting hardship while political appointees get subsidized by the very State—that is taking away subsidies from the struggling masses. 

Teachers must hustle their way to work with high transportation costs of NLe600—NLe800 (mere US$40) monthly SALARY, while senior state officials enjoy the comfort of a chauffeur-driven guzzler, with fuel paid by taxes of the poor teacher. 

Government institutions have normalized renting private properties for office use at the taxpayers' expense, while many public buildings remain underutilized or neglected. No one is interested in cutting those costs while the poor have to pay for it. Government events continue to be held at luxury venues with overpriced catering. Constant supply of free fuel to officials at the expense of the taxpayer. Let us not even talk about the expensive trips on chartered planes. What happened to 'The Land That We Love, Our Sierra Leone.'

'Knowledge and truth our forefathers spread,

Mighty the nations whom they led;

Mighty they made thee, so too may we

Show forth the good that is ever in thee.'

Until radical cuts to wasteful spending are made, the government will have no ground to stand on to offer plausible explanations for the hardship. It is possible that such cuts would not solve the problem. Still, the people should be able to see that their government is not only using global cost of living excuses to justify the increasing poverty but also doing something about it.

We are at a point where it would make sense to declare a state of austerity and adopt comprehensive cost-cutting measures that start from the very top. With food inflation at almost 50% and a currency that is withering away, there is no shame in saying that we are in a terrible situation that warrants drastic cuts—not the unjustifiable and untimely removal of subsidies, but on wasteful spending that is avoided and there is a lot of it—from the V8 Landcruisers to the trips and unnecessary events and fuel.

It is getting to a point where the government needs to stop explaining why people suffer from a constantly increasing cost of living and start taking steps and doing what responsible parents do when things are hard in the home. 

The discussion must no longer be about what is causing the hardship. There has to be a shift towards government action to cushion the impact on its people.

No Immunity Could Justify Such Arrogance

Evariste Touadera

Son of the President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera

Evariste Touadera, the son of the President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera, was caught on video hitting two health workers in Kislovodsk, a town in southern Russia. He was recently admitted to a rehabilitation center in Kavminvody, Moscow, a decision made in response to his ongoing struggle with drug-related issues.

It reports that Evariste Touadera came to Kislovodsk for rehabilitation but tried to escape from the attendants.

In the video, Touadera punched one of the men and attacked a woman, the therapist accompanying him on the trip. The video soon went viral on social media.

Recently, Evariste was admitted to a rehabilitation center in Kavminvody, Moscow, a decision made in response to his ongoing struggle with drug-related issues. Touadera was caught on video hitting two health workers.

In the video, a health worker can be heard saying to Call the father.

According to information, the president's son has been in Russia for about two weeks, accompanied by a small delegation _a specially hired psychologist and therapist. However, Evariste did not want the help to rehabilitate himself and spent most of his time in amusements and pleasant fuss.

On August 28, Evariste was supposed to leave Kislovodsk to fly to Moscow. In the hours leading up to the flight, the president's son manages to slip away from the escort personnel accompanying him.

Found at the station, they tried to dissuade him from his intentions to escape and instead got angry and attacked the health delegation. However, despite the violent altercation, the victims refused to press charges. They eventually escorted him to Moscow, and he was handed over to the staff of the CAR embassy.

Visa Restriction Policy on Undermining the Democratic Process in Sierra Leone

Statement by Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken

August 31, 2023

The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Sierra Leone and around the world.  Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for undermining the democratic process in the June 2023 Sierra Leone election.

The visa restriction policy announced today will apply to specific individuals and is not directed at the Sierra Leonean people.  

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