Sewa News Stream

  The threshold for electing a president remains a contentious issue in Sierra Leone.  Truth Media shared a 5-minute interview clip with Alpha Sesay, the attorney general and justice minister, who has publicly opposed extraditing a convicted Dutch drug dealer with over 100 convictions in Europe for narcotrafficking.  The Truth Media podcast host quoted the draft legislation: a person shall not be declared elected as president of Sierra Leone unless at the presidential election he obtains a simple majority of the total valid vote cast throughout Sierra Leone, and a minimum of 20 percent of the total valid vote cast in at least two-thirds of the districts of Sierra Leone .  Sesay stated that President Julius Maada Bio supports the bill to ensure broad representation in presidential elections.  He noted that the All People's Congress, the Sierra Leone People's Party, and other minority groups agree the 55 percent threshold is high, and he believes Sierra Leone may ...

The next president of Sierra Leone may be required to secure 20 percent of the valid votes cast in 11 of the 16 districts.  With an estimated population of 7 million and approximately 2 million registered voters, a 20 percent threshold equates to 44,000 people, or proportionally, 12,571 voters.  If the combined population of the 11 districts is 220,000, then multiplying 11 by 20,000 yields the target of 44,000 people, which is 20 percent of 220,000.  The national voter proportion is 28.57 percent, calculated by dividing 2,000,000 by 7,000,000.  The total number of district voters is 62,857, determined by multiplying 220,000 by 28.57 percent.  The target win is 12,571 voters, which is 20 percent of 62,857.  While these calculations may appear convoluted, they have reportedly informed the strategies of 2028 presidential contender David Sengeh, who is said to have utilized artificial intelligence to develop his own electoral formula.  However, civil socie...

Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has experienced several leadership changes, beginning with David Cameron and most recently including Andy Burnham.  While the United Kingdom maintained democratic legitimacy during transitions, as power shifted between elected officials, in  Sierra Leone, such changes often undermined democratic rule, with the suspension or disruption of elections and civil institutions.  British prime ministers serving from 2016 to 2026 include David Cameron (2010–2016), Theresa May (2016–2019), Boris Johnson (2019–2022), Liz Truss (2022), Rishi Sunak (2022–2024), Keir Starmer (2024–2026), and Andy Burnham (2026–present).  Political parties in Britain can replace their leaders through internal elections whenever a leader loses the confidence of a sufficient number of party members.  In contrast, Sierra Leone experienced a similar frequency of leadership changes within its first decade of independence. Still, these transitions were primar...

In industrially advanced countries, former presidents attending conferences is a common occurrence, and their experience and expertise are typically valued in international and regional events. By contrast, in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio has persistently sidelined his direct predecessor, Ernest Bai Koroma (pictured in an undated photo from the swearing-in ceremony for his second term), along with other former leaders who came to power through constitutional processes. Recently, members of Bio's administration, some of whom have previously expressed extreme views regarding opposition supporters and parties, have advocated for the return of Ernest Bai Koroma by supporting the dismissal of charges that labeled him an enemy of the state. These charges also placed his former appointees and family members at risk. Koroma held the last free and fair elections in 2018, which ushered in Julius Maada Bio as president.  Against this political backdrop, the contested 2023 presiden...

In April 2026, Ghana withdrew from a five-year, $109 million health agreement with the United States, citing concerns about the loss of regulatory control and the requirement to share sensitive health data in violation of Ghana's data protection laws. A Ghanaian official noted that granting access to citizens' data without safeguards raised health equity and constitutional concerns, and questioned the purpose of sharing such data with the United States. Zambia and Zimbabwe have faced similar challenges regarding health data sharing.  In December 2025, the United States signed four new global health Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several African countries, including Sierra Leone. According to the U.S. Department of State, these agreements aim to strengthen U.S. leadership in combating infectious diseases and reduce reliance by foreign countries on U.S. taxpayers. According to the press statement, the United States will provide over $30 million in 2026 to Sierra Leone t...

In a recent media conversation, a member of parliament in Sierra Leone was asked whether MPs had engaged with law enforcement agencies over recent headlines.  Responding, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, leader of the opposition in the Parliament of Sierra Leone, said heads of drug enforcement departments and agencies in Sierra Leone have testified in parliament, but he feels MPs must summon them again to explain the strong allegations swirling around the world. He said the allegations are serious enough to require MPs to act and help address the reputational damage Sierra Leone is facing. Quoting from a letter shared by the MP, the television host asked him about his thoughts on the letter he shared: The letter read in part: " The European Parliament is now openly discussing sanctions and the possible suspension of development assistance to Sierra Leone over concerns about drug trafficking and the refusal to extradite individuals linked to transnational organized crime. This is a serious warni...