Sewa News Stream

IB Fornah, a leading commentator on Sierra Leone, recently shared clips from a vlog discussing the arrest and detention of Zainab Sheriff, who faces incitement charges. In a recent program, Zainab argued that the first lady, Fatima Bio, should not be listed as a presidential candidate because she is married to the current president, and Sierra Leone is not a monarchy. Zainab also criticized the first lady's role during Maada Bio's first term, saying it was inappropriate for someone aspiring to hold national office.  She reminded her audience of incidents where the first lady allegedly encouraged "mob justice" and claimed that only members of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) are true Sierra Leoneans. Zainab emphasized that no political party is more important than the country itself and said that Sierra Leoneans own the SLPP, not the other way around. She called the first lady's statement about non-SLPP members not being Sierra Leonean ignorant, and sugge...

In a recent article by Sahr O. Fasuluku ,  he contends that the Sierra Leonean drug crisis originated from pre-existing social conditions. An experienced practitioner in not-for-profit organizations in the UK and Africa, Fasuluku identifies the erosion of the social fabric and adverse societal conditions in Sierra Leone as primary drivers of the crisis. He observes that in a fragmented post-war society, social malaise fosters substance abuse as a means to cope with hopelessness. Through engagement with Sierra Leoneans, Fasuluku reports a pervasive sense of resignation across various societal groups: Families are blamed, students and school leavers express skepticism about education, teachers prioritize personal gain, parents encourage transactional approaches, communities deprioritize health, villagers resort to theft, politicians focus on personal benefit, law enforcement protects the powerful, and journalists divert attention from systemic issues such as social injustice, ec...

There is very little space, political or otherwise, for women to truly thrive in Sierra Leone. When  they are not being locked behind bars and denied bail, as in the case of Zainab Sheriff, they are  publicly defamed, bullied online, and body-shamed, as Marcella Macauley has repeatedly  experienced. Many of these women are not merely participants in national life, they are contributors to Sierra  Leone’s progress. In a country still struggling under the weight of corruption and weak  institutions, they have helped push conversations about accountability, transparency, and social  development forward. Yet time and again, obstacles appear in the paths of women who attempt  to lead, speak, or challenge the status quo. This piece will not even attempt to unpack the full range of challenges facing women in Sierra Leone, like domestic violence, sexual violence, and systemic discrimination, because doing so would require confronting a reality that r...